This smoothing toner is formulated around Mandelic Acid and Glycolic Acid to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores.
This hydrating serum is formulated around Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil and Ceramide AP to hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialPropanediol
SolventMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialGlycolic Acid
BufferingSalicylic Acid
MaskingLactic Acid
BufferingTartaric Acid
BufferingPyruvic Acid
MaskingCharcoal Powder
AbrasiveEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Powder
AbrasiveEucalyptus Globulus Leaf
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Extract
AntiseborrhoeicAlgae Extract
EmollientSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentNylon-12
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningMentha Piperita Oil
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingParfum
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingDisodium EDTA
ChelatingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Alcohol Denat., Propanediol, Mandelic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Pyruvic Acid, Charcoal Powder, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Powder, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Algae Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Nylon-12, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Mentha Piperita Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, CI 77891, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCanola Oil
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
HumectantDaucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingVitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCI 75130
Cosmetic ColorantZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingDisodium EDTA
ChelatingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Canola Oil, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Dextrin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, CI 75130, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Linalool
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 EDTALimonene is the compound that gives citrus peel its smell.
In skincare, it shows up as a standalone fragrance ingredient or as a natural compound of citrus and other essential oils.
You'll typically see this ingredient used in very small amounts; anything above 0.001% in a leave-on product or 0.01% in a rinse-off has to be named on the label in the EU. The citrus oils that carry it sit around 0.5-1% in a finished formula.
Fresh limonene is a weak allergen; the real issue is that it slowly reacts with air and then breaks down from oxidation to create hydroperoxides (which are strong sensitizers). This is why suppliers are required to keep the peroxide value below 20 mmol.
Positive reactions in people being investigated for eczema vary:
It's worth skipping if you have a known fragrance allergy or a compromised barrier, but the risk is low for most people.
Older or long-opened products are also more likely to bother you than fresh ones due to oxidation.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a small, naturally occurring scent molecule found in plants like lavender, coriander, bergamot, and more.
It is one of the two most-used fragrance ingredients in cosmetics and added purely for smell. Since it's not used for a skin benefit, there's no "effective dose". Concentration depends on the fragrance load of the product.
The EU requires it to be named on the label above 0.001% in leave-on and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
Fresh linalool is a weak sensitizer but air exposure turns some of it into hydroperoxides, which are strong sensitizers. Those oxidation products are the actual allergy concern.
Patch-test clinics see positive reactions to linalool hydroperoxides in about 4% to 12% of dermatitis patients depending on country and test concentration.
Resassuringly, one analytical study found hydroperoxide levels in real fragranced products to be orders of magnitude below what induced sensitization in animal studies with no evidence of oxidation building up during normal storage.
The practical takeaway is that linalool is fine for most people but worth avoiding if you have a confirmed fragrance contact allergy or a badly compromised barrier.
Products stored a long time after opening are also the high-risk scenario since that is when oxidation happens.
The scent of linalool is described as floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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