Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Skin Beliefs Balancing Water Toner versus Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner .
Published on April 07, 2021
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free 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, brightening skin, sensitive skin and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, parabens 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.
Ingredient Info
Skin Beliefs Balancing Water Toner 12 ingredients
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner 28 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 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
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 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Skin Beliefs Balancing Water Toner 12 ingredients
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner 28 ingredients
Benefits
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Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Skin Beliefs Balancing Water Toner 12 ingredients
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner 28 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
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 WaterSkin Beliefs Balancing Water Toner contains this as ingredient number 1.
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 1.
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 GlycerinSkin Beliefs Balancing Water Toner contains this as ingredient number 3.
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 14.
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 PanthenolSkin Beliefs Balancing Water Toner contains this as ingredient number 5.
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 12.
Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.
Some studies have shown this ingredient can promote wound healing with higher concentrations.
Allantoin is derived from the comfrey plant but produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Learn more about AllantoinSkin Beliefs Balancing Water Toner contains this as ingredient number 6.
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 13.
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 HyaluronateSkin Beliefs Balancing Water Toner contains this as ingredient number 7.
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 8.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
Sodium Benzoate is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateSkin Beliefs Balancing Water Toner contains this as ingredient number 8.
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 24.
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.
Skin Beliefs Balancing Water Toner contains this as ingredient number 10.
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 26.
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 EDTASkin Beliefs Balancing Water Toner contains this as ingredient number 12.
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 23.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Skin Beliefs Balancing Water Toner 12 ingredients
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner 28 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Skin Beliefs Balancing Water Toner 12 ingredients
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner 28 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Skin Beliefs Balancing Water Toner 12 ingredients
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.
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Skin Beliefs Balancing Water Toner.
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