Kiehl's Calendula Herbal Extract Alcohol Free Toner VS Biologique

What's inside

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning

Arctium Lappa Root Extract is from the burdock plant. It is a botanical extract with skin conditioning and soothing properties.

Burdock root contains polyphenols that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. This can help explain why it's used to calm irritated or red skin.

Evidence in humans is limited to the non-root parts of this plant; topical arctium fruit extract showed improvements in dermal extracellular matrix metabolism and visible wrinkles.

Learn more about Arctium Lappa Root Extract

Propylene Glycol

Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.

As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.

The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.

True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).

It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.

Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.

Learn more about Propylene Glycol

Water

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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. Remember to stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water