La Roche-Posay Effaclar Micro-Exfoliating Astringent Toner Versus Olehenriksen Balancing Force Oil Control Toner
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingHamamelis Virginiana Water
AstringentGlycerin
HumectantGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingOleth-20
CleansingSalicylic Acid
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingMenthyl Lactate
MaskingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
PerfumingMentha Piperita Oil
MaskingMelia Azadirachta Seed Oil
EmollientLinoleic Acid
CleansingMacrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin ConditioningEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract
PerfumingChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialLinolenic Acid
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCalcium Gluconate
HumectantBenzoic Acid
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantLimonene
PerfumingWater, Polysorbate 20, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Glycerin, Gluconolactone, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Oleth-20, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Menthyl Lactate, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil, Linoleic Acid, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Linolenic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Calcium Gluconate, Benzoic Acid, Tocopherol, Limonene
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinWater. 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