Tula Skincare Balancing Act Purifying Toner & pH Balancing Toner Pads Versus Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer
This oil-control toner pad uses a pre-saturated pad with Lactobacillus Ferment and Niacinamide to balance excess oil and strengthen the skin barrier.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Squalane to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Antioxidant
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Beta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningEugenia Caryophyllus Flower Extract
AstringentMentha Arvensis Leaf Extract
MaskingMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCarum Carvi Seed Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Cleansing
Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningInulin
Skin Conditioning
Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pelargonium Graveolens Extract
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Rosa Damascena Extract
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Phytic Acid
Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMentha Viridis Extract
MaskingPeumus Boldus Leaf Extract
MaskingVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentLavandula Angustifolia Flower
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Gluconic Acid
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningLauryl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingMenthyl Lactate
Masking
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Sodium PCA, Lactobacillus Ferment, Niacinamide, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Eugenia Caryophyllus Flower Extract, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Carum Carvi Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Inulin, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Extract, Lactic Acid, Rosa Damascena Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Mentha Piperita Oil, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Phytic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Mentha Viridis Extract, Peumus Boldus Leaf Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Maltodextrin, Sodium Benzoate, Gluconic Acid, Yeast Extract, Lauryl Glucoside, Sodium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Citrate, Menthyl Lactate, Decyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientIsoeicosane
EmollientAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Sodium Phytate
Glycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Hansenula/Kloeckera/Lactobacillus/Lactococcus/Leuconostoc/Pediococcus/Saccharomyces/Fig/Lemon Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingChitosan
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Squalane, Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenoxyethanol, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Lecithin, Caprylyl Glycol, Diheptyl Succinate, Isoeicosane, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Sodium Phytate, Glycine Soja Sterols, Linoleic Acid, Phospholipids, Hansenula/Kloeckera/Lactobacillus/Lactococcus/Leuconostoc/Pediococcus/Saccharomyces/Fig/Lemon Ferment, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Sorbitan Oleate, Cellulose Gum, Chitosan, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateWater. 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
