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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of La Mer The Tonic versus Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion .

Published on March 19, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe toners. They have a total of 10 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, parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain fragrances and oils

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 The Tonic

Starts at $95.00
Shop

Buy Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion

Starts at $65.00

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

Exfoliators (2)
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating
Dark Spots

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin
Rosacea
Eczema

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
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Ingredients Side-by-side

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

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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

La Mer The Tonic contains this as ingredient number 1.

Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

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.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.

La Mer The Tonic contains this as ingredient number 19.

Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 5.

3
What it does: Emulsifying

We don't have a description for Ppg-5-Ceteth-20.

La Mer The Tonic contains this as ingredient number 21.

Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 17.

4
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

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 Hyaluronate

La Mer The Tonic contains this as ingredient number 22.

Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 13.

5
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Disliked

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 Acid

La Mer The Tonic contains this as ingredient number 23.

Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 18.

6
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Mixed

Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.

Sodium Citrate helps maintain the pH of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.

Sodium Citrate is a chelating agent. It neutralizes metal ions from water and prevents them from binding to other ingredients. This ensures the other ingredients will not be altered.

Learn more about Sodium Citrate

La Mer The Tonic contains this as ingredient number 24.

Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 20.

7
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Caffeine is most associated with coffee, tea, and cacao. In skincare, it helps with calming inflammation and anti-aging.

Caffeine is an antioxidants, which help with the signs of aging. This is because antioxidants help fight skin-damaging free radical molecules.

While caffeine is used to treat cellulite and and dark circles, further studies are needed to prove this. It has been believed to help with these skin conditions due to its ability to dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow.

Some studies are looking into caffeine's ability to protect against UV rays.

Learn more about Caffeine

La Mer The Tonic contains this as ingredient number 27.

Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 12.

8
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA

La Mer The Tonic contains this as ingredient number 28.

Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 22.

9
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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.

La Mer The Tonic contains this as ingredient number 30.

Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 23.

10
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Disliked

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 Sorbate

La Mer The Tonic contains this as ingredient number 31.

Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 19.

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

23% are loved or liked
11% have mixed ratings
37% are disliked or very disliked
29% have no rating yet
52% are loved or liked
17% have mixed ratings
22% are disliked or very disliked
9% 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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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

La Mer The Tonic 35 ingredients

3.5 /5
from 2 reviews
TaylorForman_1's Avatar'
Aug 20, 2023

Not for oily skin
My combination oily skin hated this product. It irritated and added texture to my skin. I will not use again. I was surprised given the ingredients. Just not for me.

Not for oily skin
My combination oily skin hated this product. It irritated and added texture to my skin. I will not use again. I was surprised given the ingredients. Just not for me.

Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion 23 ingredients

Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

Alternatives

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