Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner Versus Paula's Choice Calm Repairing Serum

Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner Versus Paula's Choice Calm Repairing Serum This calming toner is formulated around Houttuynia Cordata Extract and Panthenol to calm redness and hydrate skin. This calming serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Ceram

Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner Versus Paula's Choice Calm Repairing Serum

This calming toner is formulated around Houttuynia Cordata Extract and Panthenol to calm redness and hydrate skin.

This calming serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Ceramide NP to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

No key ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Houttuynia Cordata Extract 77%

Water

1,2-Hexanediol

Glycerin

Betaine

Panthenol

Saccharum Officinarum Extract

Portulaca Oleracea Extract

Butylene Glycol

Vitex Agnus Castus Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Arctium Lappa Root Extract

Phellinus Linteus Extract

Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract

Isopentyldiol

Methylpropanediol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Tromethamine

Disodium EDTA

Houttuynia Cordata Extract 77%, Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Betaine, Panthenol, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Butylene Glycol, Vitex Agnus Castus Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Isopentyldiol, Methylpropanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Polysorbate 20

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

PEG/PPG-14/4 Dimethicone

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids

Ceramide NP

Ethylhexylglycerin

Epilobium Angustifolium Extract

Ceramide AP

Cholesterol

Phytosphingosine

Beta-Glucan

Sarcosine

Carbomer

Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower Extract

Sea Whip Extract

Glycine Soja Seed Extract

Hyaluronic Acid

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Ceramide EOP

Magnesium Aspartate

Potassium Aspartate

Ubiquinone

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Calcium Chloride

Propylene Glycol

Tocopherol

Sodium Metabisulfite

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Water, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polysorbate 20, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG/PPG-14/4 Dimethicone, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids, Ceramide NP, Ethylhexylglycerin, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Beta-Glucan, Sarcosine, Carbomer, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower Extract, Sea Whip Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Ceramide EOP, Magnesium Aspartate, Potassium Aspartate, Ubiquinone, Phenoxyethanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Calcium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate

Reviews

Alternatives

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

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

Glycerin (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.

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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Acrylates Copolymer is used as a film-forming agent and texture enhancer.
  4. 04After applied, Acrylates Copolymer forms a thin film cover that helps skin feel more soft. It can help sunscreens become more water-resistant.
  5. 05It is also used to make a product more thick.
  6. 06Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
  7. 07Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
  8. 08Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
  9. 09Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
  10. 10This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
  11. 11On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
  12. 12One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too st…
  13. 13Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
  14. 14You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
  15. 15Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  16. 16Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  17. 17Your 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.
  18. 18Aquaporin-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.
  19. 19This 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.
  20. 20Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

Paula's Choice 5% Niacinamide Body Serum

Paula's Choice 5% Niacinamide Body Serum Paula's Choice 5% Niacinamide Body Serum ingredients explained: Water⁠, Panthenol⁠, Niacinamide⁠, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride⁠, Myristyl Myristate⁠…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side