Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner versus Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner US .
Last updated on November 03, 2023. Published on May 13, 2021
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe toners. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and Vitamin C
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain 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
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
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner 28 ingredients
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner 26 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
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:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
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 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is 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:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
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 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner 28 ingredients
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner 26 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner 28 ingredients
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner 26 ingredients
Water • Cyclopentasiloxane • Butylene Glycol • Glycereth-26 • Dimethiconol • Oenothera Biennis Oil • Borago Officinalis Seed Oil • Sodium Hyaluronate • Tocopheryl Acetate • Tocopherol • Ascorbyl Palmitate • Panthenol • Allantoin • Glycerin • Hydrogenated Lecithin • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Niacinamide • Superoxide Dismutase • Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil • Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate • Laureth-4 • Laureth-23 • Disodium EDTA • Sodium Benzoate • Chlorphenesin • Phenoxyethanol • Benzoic Acid • Sorbic Acid
Water • Glycerin • Butylene Glycol • Niacinamide • Polysorbate 20 • Adenosine • Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract • Arctium Lappa Seed Oil • Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters • Sodium PCA • Panthenol • Sodium Hyaluronate • Ceramide NP • Ceramide AP • Ceramide EOP • Phytosphingosine • Cholesterol • Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate • Oleth-10 • Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate • Caprylyl Glycol • Hexylene Glycol • Sodium Citrate • Xanthan Gum • Trisodium 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 WaterPaula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 1.
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner US contains this as ingredient number 1.
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.
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 3.
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner US contains this as ingredient number 3.
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 HyaluronatePaula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 8.
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner US contains this as ingredient number 12.
Panthenol (also referred to as pro-vitamin B5) is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin.
lt is a humectant, meaning that it helps the skin attract and retain moisture.
Another benefit is the anti-inflammatory abilities. This means that it's great for sensitive, irritation-prone skin.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
Learn more about PanthenolPaula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 12.
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner US contains this as ingredient number 11.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinPaula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 14.
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner US contains this as ingredient number 2.
Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.
It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.
Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.
The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.
Learn more about NiacinamidePaula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 17.
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner US 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.
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 26.
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner US contains this as ingredient number 26.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner 28 ingredients
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner 26 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner 28 ingredients
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner 26 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner 28 ingredients
fahanx
It is extremely hydrating and it brightened my skin a little bit. However, I think due to the niacinamide in it, it didn’t get rid of the texture...
It is extremely hydrating and it brightened my skin a little bit. However, I think due to the niacinamide in it, it didn’t get rid of the texture on my foraged. Once I stopped using it, the texture cleared up.
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner 26 ingredients
Suzamazen
Easily the best toner for my oily, cystic acne prone skin. I had beautiful, clear skin until perimenopause, when I developed cystic acne. I’ve...
Easily the best toner for my oily, cystic acne prone skin. I had beautiful, clear skin until perimenopause, when I developed cystic acne. I’ve spent the last 2 years completely revamping my skincare routine. I’ve tried dozens of toners from every brand from Skinceuticals to CosRx. The Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing toner doesn’t dry my skin out or break me out. It instantly soothes after using a benzoyl peroxide wash. My skin feels clean, soft, and hydrated without being greasy. It’s perfect to use before applying bha or aha exfoliants and actually reduces how stripping or irritating they can be. I never used toners prior to developing cystic acne because my skin didn’t need it. This toner has dramatically improved how my other skincare products work. Everyone’s skin is different, but for me this is the perfect toner and an essential part of my skincare routine.
Alternatives
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