Environ Skin Care Botanical Infused Moisturizing Toner Versus Environ Skin Care Skin Essentia AVST Moisturiser 1
This hydrating toner is formulated around Panthenol and Niacinamide to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Panthenol and Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate to strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSorbitol
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingEthoxydiglycol
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantGlucose
HumectantLactic Acid
BufferingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingAchillea Millefolium Extract
CleansingOnonis Spinosa Root Extract
AntiseborrhoeicTussilago Farfara Leaf Extract
AstringentRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialThymus Serpyllum Extract
Skin ConditioningSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingMelissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningEquisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentAlthaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCyclopia Genistoides Leaf Extract
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Sorbitol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Niacinamide, Ethoxydiglycol, Propylene Glycol, Glucose, Lactic Acid, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Ononis Spinosa Root Extract, Tussilago Farfara Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Thymus Serpyllum Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Cyclopia Genistoides Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Caramel, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientSorbitol
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingEthoxydiglycol
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
AntioxidantAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialEpigallocatechin Gallate
AntioxidantRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantAspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCyclopia Genistoides Leaf Extract
AntioxidantPolygonum Cuspidatum Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentGelatin
Sucrose
HumectantZea Mays Oil
EmulsifyingZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentDisodium EDTA
Methylparaben
PreservativePropylparaben
PreservativeWater, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Sorbitol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethoxydiglycol, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Sorbitan Stearate, Polysorbate 60, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Cyclopia Genistoides Leaf Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Extract, Beta-Carotene, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Maltodextrin, Gelatin, Sucrose, Zea Mays Oil, Zea Mays Starch, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Propylparaben
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cyclopia Genistoides Leaf Extract is an antioxidant.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthoxydiglycol (aka Diethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether) is one of the cosmetic world's quiet problem solvers.
In a formula, it is a solvent that dissolves tricky ingredients that don't want to mix in and helps spread ingredients evenly across your skin without leaving a greasy or sticky feeling
This makes it great for hard-to-dissolve actives like vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide, and self-tanner DHA.
It also has mild humectant and penetration enhancer abilities so it can help some actives absorb a little deeper.
The penetration boost is backed by lab research: studies using human skin samples found it improved how well an active dissolves into the upper layer of skin rather than tearing down your skin barrier. Reviews of its mechanism also describe it interacting gently with the lipids and water in your outermost layer of skin.
Just know this penetration-enhancing effect is not universal. It helps a lot in some formulas and did very little in others (so the benefit really depends on the specific product).
Safety-wise, the evidence is reassuring. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel reviewed it and concluded it's safe for use in cosmetics and recognized it as non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-comedogenic in skincare.
Typical leave-on skincare usage lands around 1-10%. The EU has sets caps of 2.6% in non-spray products, 10% in rinse-offs, 7% in oxidative hair dye, and 5% in non-oxidative hair dye.
Learn more about EthoxydiglycolPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolThis is a botanical extract from the rosemary plant (the same one you cook with). In skincare, it mostly works as a skin conditioning agent.
Its activity comes from a handful of polyphenols, carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosmarinic acid. Almost 90% of the antioxidant activity of this ingredient can be attributed to canosol and carnosic acid.
These compounds protect your skin two ways:
1) They fight off free radicals, or the unstable molecules from things like sun and pollution that age and damage skin.
2) They help calm inflammation by switching off the chemical signals that tell skin to get red and irritated.
Lab studies also suggest that rosmarinic acid may help protect collagen and slow sugar-related damage to it.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has concluded rosemary-derived ingredients to be safe when formulated to be non-sensitizing.
Rosemary can occasionally cause allergic contact dermatitis (due to carnosol), so be sure to patch test if you have reactive or fragrance-sensitive skin.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf ExtractSorbitol is a sugar alcohol. It is a hydrating and moisturizing agent created from the reduction process of glucose.
Most sorbitol is usually made from potato starch. It is also found in fruits such as apples and pears.
As a humectant, Sorbitol helps draw water to the skin. This helps keep the skin hydrated. Sorbitol also helps create a thicker texture in products. You might find sorbitol in your toothpaste and other gels.
It is a non-irritating ingredient that is great for those with dry skin.
Sorbitol is a prebiotic. It helps promote the growth of healthy bacteria on your skin. The bacteria on your skin form a microbiome. This microbiome helps protect your skin from infection and harmful bacteria.
Learn more about SorbitolWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water