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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner versus Mario Badescu Botanical Facial Gel .

Published on July 08, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free . They have a total of 11 ingredients in common

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any oils, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain common allergens, fragrances and parabens

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
Face Cleanser 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.

Face Cleanser

Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).

Price

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

AHA

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Brightening

Concerns

Drying (3)
May Worsen Oily Skin
Acne Trigger
Irritating (4)
Rosacea (4)
Eczema (5)

Benefits

Hydrating
Brightening

Concerns

Drying (2)
Acne Trigger
Irritating
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (5)
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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

Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner contains this as ingredient number 1.

Mario Badescu Botanical Facial Gel contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Propylene Glycol is an odorless, colorless liquid. As a humectant, it helps skin retain moisture. It also aids in delivering active ingredients.

Another role of this ingredient is preventing a product from melting or freezing. Propylene glycol also adds antimicrobrial properties to a product, elongating product lifespan.

This ingredient is considered an organic alcohol and commonly added into both cosmetics and foods.

Those with sensitive skin or conditions may deliver a rash when using this ingredient.

Learn more about Propylene Glycol

Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner contains this as ingredient number 3.

Mario Badescu Botanical Facial Gel contains this as ingredient number 9.

3
What it does: Buffering, Emulsifying, Masking
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Triethanolamine is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.

As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.

PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.

Learn more about Triethanolamine

Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner contains this as ingredient number 5.

Mario Badescu Botanical Facial Gel contains this as ingredient number 7.

4
What it does: Astringent, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Tonic

Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract is a fragrance.

Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner contains this as ingredient number 7.

Mario Badescu Botanical Facial Gel contains this as ingredient number 5.

5
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Diazolidinyl Urea is a preservative. It can cause irritation and worsen eczema.

Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner contains this as ingredient number 8.

Mario Badescu Botanical Facial Gel contains this as ingredient number 12.

6
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Methylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.

Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.

Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.

The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.

Learn more about Methylparaben

Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner contains this as ingredient number 10.

Mario Badescu Botanical Facial Gel contains this as ingredient number 11.

7
What it does: Masking, Perfuming
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "Parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'. The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Learn more about Parfum

Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner contains this as ingredient number 11.

Mario Badescu Botanical Facial Gel contains this as ingredient number 8.

8
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Propylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben with antifungal and antimicrobial properties.

This ingredient can be naturally found in plants and insects, but most of it is synthetically manufactured for human use. In cosmetics, it is usually created by reacting para-aminobenzoic acid and propanol (an alcohol).

You can usually find this ingredient in water-based products.

Parabens have come under controversy due to the claim they are hormone disruptors. Studies show conflicting results. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.

Propylparaben is commonly found in food, medicine, and cosmetics.

Learn more about Propylparaben

Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner contains this as ingredient number 15.

Mario Badescu Botanical Facial Gel contains this as ingredient number 13.

9
What it does: Masking
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt.

This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.

You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.

There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.

The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.

Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.

Learn more about Sodium Chloride

Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner contains this as ingredient number 19.

Mario Badescu Botanical Facial Gel contains this as ingredient number 10.

10
What it does: Perfuming
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Citronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".

Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.

Citronellol is a modified terpene. Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons found in plants. They make up the primary part of essential oils.

Citronellol is not able to be absorbed into deeper layers of the skin. It has low permeability,

Citronellol is also a natural insect repellent.

Learn more about Citronellol

Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner contains this as ingredient number 24.

Mario Badescu Botanical Facial Gel contains this as ingredient number 14.

11
What it does: Cosmetic Colorant

Ci 19140 is also known as Tartrazine. Tartrazine is a synthetic dye used in cosmetics, foods, and medicine to add a yellow color.

Tartrazine is created from petroleum and is water-soluble.

Some people may experience allergies from this dye, especially asthmatics and those with an aspirin intolerance.

Learn more about CI 19140

Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner contains this as ingredient number 28.

Mario Badescu Botanical Facial Gel contains this as ingredient number 16.

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

14% are loved or liked
0% have mixed ratings
71% are disliked or very disliked
14% have no rating yet
11% are loved or liked
0% have mixed ratings
61% are disliked or very disliked
28% 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 14 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner.

See 14 alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 14 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Mario Badescu Botanical Facial Gel.

See 14 alternatives
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