Belif Aqua Bomb Hydrating Toner Versus Paula's Choice Resist Advanced Replenishing Toner

Belif Aqua Bomb Hydrating Toner Versus Paula's Choice Resist Advanced Replenishing Toner

This hydrating toner is formulated around Panthenol and Avena Sativa Kernel Extract to hydrate skin and calm redness.

This barrier-repair toner is formulated around Linoleic Acid and Phospholipids to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Alcohol Denat.

Dipropylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Betaine

Panthenol

PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Stellaria Media Extract

Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract

Nepeta Cataria Extract

Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract

Baptisia Tinctoria Root Extract

Alchemilla Vulgaris Leaf Extract

Equisetum Arvense Leaf Extract

Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract

Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract

Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract

Vitis Vinifera Vine Sap

Sodium Hyaluronate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Trisodium EDTA

Beta-Glucan

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Glycereth-26

Phenyl Trimethicone

Tromethamine

PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer

Polyglutamic Acid

Methylpropanediol

Malachite Extract

Butylene Glycol

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

Citrus Aurantifolia Oil

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil

Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil

Citral

Citronellol

Limonene

Geraniol

Linalool

Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Panthenol, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Stellaria Media Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Nepeta Cataria Extract, Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract, Baptisia Tinctoria Root Extract, Alchemilla Vulgaris Leaf Extract, Equisetum Arvense Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Vitis Vinifera Vine Sap, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Trisodium EDTA, Beta-Glucan, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Glycereth-26, Phenyl Trimethicone, Tromethamine, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Polyglutamic Acid, Methylpropanediol, Malachite Extract, Butylene Glycol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Citral, Citronellol, Limonene, Geraniol, Linalool

Cyclopentasiloxane

Polysorbate 20

Dimethiconol

Linoleic Acid

Oleic Acid

Linolenic Acid

Phospholipids

Carnosine

Epigallocatechin Gallate

Genistein

Sphingolipids

Ferulic Acid

Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Soy Protein

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Acetyl Glucosamine

Quercetin

Oenothera Biennis Oil

Beta Vulgaris Root Extract

Cucurbita Pepo Seed Extract

Lecithin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Hydrolyzed Corn Starch

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Palmitic Acid

Xanthan Gum

Laureth-23

Laureth-4

Aminomethyl Propanol

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Benzoate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

Chlorphenesin

Benzoic Acid

Sorbic Acid

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Polysorbate 20, Dimethiconol, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Phospholipids, Carnosine, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Genistein, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sphingolipids, Ferulic Acid, Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Acetyl Glucosamine, Quercetin, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Extract, Lecithin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Palmitic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Laureth-23, Laureth-4, Aminomethyl Propanol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid

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.

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.

As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.

It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.

A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Glycereth-26 is a synthetic ingredient and polyethylene glycol ether of Glycerin. Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin and helps keep your skin moisturized.

It is a humectant and helps add texture to products. It can make your product thicker.

As a humectant, it helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps your skin stay hydrated.

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.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

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!

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