Glow Recipe PDRN+ Repair + Soothe Toner Pads Versus Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantMethylpropanediol
SolventCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sodium Dna
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Phytate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Octanediol
Arginine
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Methylpropanediol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Dna, Beta-Glucan, Adenosine, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Allantoin, Caffeine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Panthenol, Betaine, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Phytate, Pentylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Octanediol, Arginine, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Arctium Lappa Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Oleth-10
EmulsifyingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTrisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Polysorbate 20, Adenosine, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Arctium Lappa Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Oleth-10, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinPanthenol 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 PanthenolSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
