KAINE Kombu Balancing Ampoule Toner Versus Face Republic AHA/BHA Toner
Updated on December 05, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, fungal acne (malassezia) safe, and reef safe toners. They have a total of 13 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain hyaluronic acid and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
KAINE Kombu Balancing Ampoule Toner 33 ingredients
Face Republic AHA/BHA Toner 24 ingredients
About this product
About this product
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
KAINE Kombu Balancing Ampoule Toner 33 ingredients
Face Republic AHA/BHA Toner 24 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment 60%
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Glycereth-26
HumectantChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Cynanchum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Althaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Panthenol 1%
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Tromethamine
BufferingDextrin
AbsorbentAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
HumectantBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment 60%, Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Glycereth-26, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol 1%, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Glyceryl Glucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Tromethamine, Dextrin, Allantoin, Glucose, Beta-Glucan, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantFructooligosaccharides
HumectantFructose
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBetaine Salicylate
Antimicrobial
Sodium Phytate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingWater, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Glucose, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Betaine Salicylate, Sodium Phytate, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Lactobionic Acid, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Water. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about Glycerin1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Chondrus Crispus Extract comes from a red algae native to the northern Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America. It helps hydrate the skin and is rich in antioxidants.
The antioxidants in chondrus crispus include lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein has the ability to filter blue light from screens.
Other contents of chondrus crispus include polysaccharides, peptides, and amino acids. These help hydrate the skin.
What's the difference between algae and seaweed? Algae is a broad term that includes seaweed. Not all algae is seaweed.
Learn more about Chondrus Crispus ExtractThis ingredient is also called sugarcane extract. It is a moisturizing humectant and has skin soothing properties.
Similar to hyaluronic acid, sugarcane can attract moisture to your skin.
Glycolic acid is a derivative of sugarcane. While glycolic acid is an AHA with exfoliating properties, sugarcane is not an AHA.
A study from 2021 found the compounds in sugarcane extract to have antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activity. The study also suggests these compounds can inhibit skin ageing enzymes and promote collagen synthesis.
Learn more about Saccharum Officinarum ExtractSodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronatePanthenol 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 PanthenolEthylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
- It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
- It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
- It helps improve product application.
- It has mild preservative properties.
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.
Some studies have shown this ingredient can promote wound healing with higher concentrations.
Allantoin is derived from the comfrey plant but produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Learn more about AllantoinGlucose is a simple sugar and is the most important source of energy in all organisms.
In skincare, glucose is used to hydrate the skin. It also acts as a prebiotic for our natural biome.
Glucose is hydrating due to its humectant property. As a humectant, glucose draws moisture from the air and from deeper levels in the skin.
Our skin contains many sugars that act as prebiotics and help strengthen our natural microbiome. Having a healthy microbiome helps protect our skin from harmful bacteria and other contaminants.
Studies show glucose may help with fading discoloration and pigmentation. This is because our skin metabolizes glucose into lactic acid. Lactic acid is an AHA that helps exfoliate the top layer of skin.
Learn more about GlucoseTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolIngredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
When to use
KAINE Kombu Balancing Ampoule Toner 33 ingredients
Face Republic AHA/BHA Toner 24 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
KAINE Kombu Balancing Ampoule Toner 33 ingredients
Hydrating, but not much else...
I’m beginning to think tea is one of those ingredients that either works really well for you or just does nothing at all. Well… not nothing I guess… I don’t like saying a product/ingredient does absolutely nothing because I’m sure it has to do something. But for me whatever that something is must be so minimal that I personally didn’t notice any improvement in my Show more
It has a really nice texture that doesn’t make my face feel too oily and also works well with my COSRX centella water toner to cool down my skin (I have rosacea). I also noticed the oiliness of my skin has reduced after using this product for a few months, though this may just be because I’ve started taking birth control to manage my acne breakouts. All in all, would re-purchase it just for its Show more
