Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner versus Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion .
Published on May 17, 2021
Overview
What they are
These products are both fungal acne (malassezia) safe and reef safe toners. They have a total of 8 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain hyaluronic acid
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens, silicones or sulfates
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
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
Ingredient Info
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner 15 ingredients
Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion 23 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner 15 ingredients
Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion 23 ingredients
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner 15 ingredients
Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion 23 ingredients
Water • Glycerin • Propanediol • Phenoxyethanol • Propylene Glycol • Potassium Sorbate • Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer • Triethanolamine • Citric Acid • Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract • Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract • Sodium Hyaluronate • Cucumis Sativus Juice • Caprylyl Glycol • Carbomer
Water • Bifida Ferment Lysate • Peg-75 • Propanediol • Butylene Glycol • Betaine • Pentylene Glycol • Lactobacillus Ferment • Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 • Acetyl Glucosamine • Trehalose • Caffeine • Sodium Hyaluronate • Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil • Caprylyl Glycol • Carbomer • Ppg-5-Ceteth-20 • Citric Acid • Potassium Sorbate • Sodium Citrate • Tromethamine • Disodium EDTA • Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterKiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner contains this as ingredient number 1.
Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 1.
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
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 PropanediolKiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner contains this as ingredient number 3.
Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 4.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner contains this as ingredient number 4.
Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 23.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
Potassium sorbate is potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
Potassium sorbate is often used with stronger preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateKiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner contains this as ingredient number 6.
Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 19.
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.
As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidKiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner contains this as ingredient number 9.
Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 18.
Sodium 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 HyaluronateKiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner contains this as ingredient number 12.
Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 13.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolKiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner contains this as ingredient number 14.
Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 15.
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.
Carbomer is commonly found in many types of cosmetics products. It is found to be safe in concentrations up to 15%. However, a high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Most products contain 1% of less of carbomer.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner contains this as ingredient number 15.
Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 16.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner 15 ingredients
Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion 23 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner 15 ingredients
Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion 23 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner.
See 50 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion.
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