This calming toner is formulated around Calendula Officinalis Extract and Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract to calm redness.
This smoothing toner is formulated around Gluconolactone to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Methylparaben
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Arctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Calendula Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Hydrolyzed Corn Starch
HumectantAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialAlthaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Humulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialHypericum Perforatum Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningArctium Majus Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Salvia Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
MaskingCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Saponaria Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
MaskingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Triethanolamine
BufferingEDTA
Water, Gluconolactone, Betaine, Propanediol, Propylene Glycol, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Hypericum Perforatum Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Arctium Majus Root Extract, Salvia Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract, Citrus Limon Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Triethanolamine, EDTA
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract comes from the marigold flower and has been used on skin for centuries for its calming effect.
In the lab, its active compounds appear to calm inflammation and support the early "healing" phase of minor wounds.
This is why Europe's medicines regulator has approved calendula extracts as a traditional remedy for minor skin inflammation and healing small wounds.
The stronger human evidence is around would/ulcer care rather than everyday cosmetic claims; a review that pulled together 14 studies found that calendula helped calm the early, inflamed stage of a wound and helped new skin tissue form faster.
Two studies also showed it shrank leg ulcers (the kind caused by poor circulation). Results were mixed for burns and for the skin irritation people get from radiation treatment, so it's not a sure thing there.
In cosmetics, it's mostly a skin conditioning and soothing agent.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel concluded that calendula-derived ingredients are safe as used and that the ingredients are not irritating, sensitizing, or photosensitizing in clinical tests (though they may be mild eye irritants).
Typical use levels are quite low; industry data reported it used at under 0.5% (one supplier noted a 10-25% extract blend used at 1-10% in the finished product). Historical use goes up to 10%.
The only thing to keep in mind is if you have daisy/ragweed allergies. Calendula is in the same family and one patch-test study found 2% of dermatitis patients reacted to marigold. Be sure to patch test if you have sensitive or allergy-prone skin.
Learn more about Calendula Officinalis Flower ExtractPropylene 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 GlycolWater. 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
