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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Kiehl's Rare Earth Pore Refining Tonic versus Kiehl's Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion .

Published on January 28, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both toners. They have a total of 4 ingredients in common

Free From

They both do not contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain harsh alcohols

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Toner American Brand United States
Toner American Brand United States

Toner

Toners are used as a “last-step” cleanser, a pH balancer, add moisture to the skin, or may help in reducing impurities on the skin. They have a liquid consistency and are usually used after cleansers but before treatments.

Toner

Toners are used as a “last-step” cleanser, a pH balancer, add moisture to the skin, or may help in reducing impurities on the skin. They have a liquid consistency and are usually used after cleansers but before treatments.

Price

Shop

Buy Rare Earth Pore Refining Tonic

Starts at $17.50
Shop

Buy Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion

Starts at $25.00

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

BHA
Exfoliators (3)

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Acne Fighting (3)
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (2)
Rosacea (3)
Eczema (3)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (4)
Eczema (3)
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Kiehl's Rare Earth Pore Refining Tonic contains this as ingredient number 1.

Kiehl's Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Antimicrobial, Astringent, Masking, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol and other additives. It has a low molecular weight and will evaporate quickly. This helps other ingredients become better absorbed and dry once applied.

Alcohol Denat. is volatile and may cause irritation. It helps draw out natural oils in skin and dry out your skin.

One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased irritation.

Alcohol is antibacterial by nature. This can help preserve products and increase their shelf life.

Other types of astringent alcohols include:

Learn more about Alcohol Denat.

Kiehl's Rare Earth Pore Refining Tonic contains this as ingredient number 2.

Kiehl's Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Masking
Community Rating: Liked

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf is a plant material from the leaves of the aloe, Aloe barbadensis, Liliaceae

Aloe leaves contain the antioxidants Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins neutralize free radicals.

It also contains sugars in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, choline, many common minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.

Polysaccharides help hydrate your skin by mimicking your skin's natural carbohydrates.

Aloe leaves contain many components that are known to help reduce irritation and itchiness. These include vitamins, amino acids, polysaccharides, and more. The high water content of aloe also helps give a cooling effect. This makes aloe an effective sunburn reliever.

Despite helping heal sunburns, aloe does not protect your skin against UV damage. Aloe should not replace your sunscreen.

Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf

Kiehl's Rare Earth Pore Refining Tonic contains this as ingredient number 11.

Kiehl's Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion contains this as ingredient number 12.

4
What it does: Astringent, Skin Conditioning, Soothing
Community Rating: Disliked

Hamamelis Virginiana Water is made used distilled parts of the witch hazel plant. The witch hazel plant is native to eastern North America.

The name 'Hamamelis Virginiana Water' refers to the distillation while the name 'Witch Hazel' is used when it is an active drug ingredient. Unless it is specified to be non-alcohol, many types of witch hazel are distilled in denatured alcohol.

Witch Hazel water is an astringent, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial ingredient. The tannin in witch hazel has a drying effect when used on skin and constricts proteins. This helps minimize the look of large pores. The tannins present and the fragrance may be sensitizing. The catechins in witch hazel have anti-inflammatory properties while the gallic acid is antibacterial.

Indigenous groups have used witch hazel to help treat inflammation, which was then used by early settlers to North America.

Learn more about Hamamelis Virginiana Water

Kiehl's Rare Earth Pore Refining Tonic contains this as ingredient number 14.

Kiehl's Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion contains this as ingredient number 9.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

63% are loved or liked
0% have mixed ratings
31% are disliked or very disliked
6% have no rating yet
23% are loved or liked
0% have mixed ratings
62% are disliked or very disliked
15% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 25 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Kiehl's Rare Earth Pore Refining Tonic.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 13 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Kiehl's Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion.

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