Explore Routine Login

Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of ZO Skin Health Calming Toner versus ZO Skin Health Complexion Renewal Pads .

Published on July 29, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 7 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain AHA

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for anti aging, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain common allergens and fragrances

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
Exfoliator 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.

Exfoliator

Exfoliators are used to exfoliate the skin, or remove dead skin cells from the skin. Exfoliators may be chemical or physical.

Price

Shop

Buy Calming Toner

Shop

Buy Complexion Renewal Pads

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
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation (2)
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (2)
Brightening

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

AHA
BHA

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin (2)
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture (2)
Reduces Large Pores (3)
Anti-Aging (2)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying (3)
May Worsen Oily Skin
Acne Trigger
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (6)
Eczema (5)
Join our community

Build your routine, track which ingredients work for you, and much more with your free account.

Join SkinSort

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

Loading ingredients...

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

ZO Skin Health Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 1.

ZO Skin Health Complexion Renewal Pads contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Loved

Glycolic Acid is arguably the most famous AHA with research to back up its benefits. Its main role is to peel the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Glycolic Acid has shown to boost collage production, a protein that helps skin stay firm. Overall, Glycolic Acid helps with improving uneven tone, rough patches of skin, fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage. It also increases skin hydration by playing a role in creating molecules that create hyaluronic acid naturally.

When applying Glycolic Acid, it is normal to feel slight stinging. The pH value and concentration of glycolic acid play a role in the effectiveness of the product.

Recent studies have shown Glycolic Acid may protect the skin against UV damage. However, you should always wear SPF, especially when using exfoliants.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Glycolic Acid

ZO Skin Health Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 4.

ZO Skin Health Complexion Renewal Pads contains this as ingredient number 15.

3
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

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 EDTA

ZO Skin Health Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 9.

ZO Skin Health Complexion Renewal Pads contains this as ingredient number 19.

4
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

ZO Skin Health Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 12.

ZO Skin Health Complexion Renewal Pads contains this as ingredient number 23.

5
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

ZO Skin Health Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 16.

ZO Skin Health Complexion Renewal Pads contains this as ingredient number 24.

6
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Mixed

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Learn more about Sodium Hydroxide

ZO Skin Health Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 18.

ZO Skin Health Complexion Renewal Pads contains this as ingredient number 14.

7
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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.

ZO Skin Health Calming Toner contains this as ingredient number 20.

ZO Skin Health Complexion Renewal Pads contains this as ingredient number 22.

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

30% are loved or liked
10% have mixed ratings
45% are disliked or very disliked
15% have no rating yet
26% are loved or liked
7% have mixed ratings
44% are disliked or very disliked
22% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

Loading routine usage...
Loading routine usage...

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

ZO Skin Health Calming Toner 20 ingredients

Calming Toner hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

ZO Skin Health Complexion Renewal Pads 27 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 rating
Expensive (1)
CarolynDavidson's avatar

CarolynDavidson

1 month ago · Combination Skin
Review

Yes please. But only if it’s a Christmas gift bc v expensive!!

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 37 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to ZO Skin Health Calming Toner.

See 37 alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 10 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to ZO Skin Health Complexion Renewal Pads.

See 10 alternatives
Loading similar comparisons...