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Skin science article

Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream Mist Versus Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer

Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream Mist Versus Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer This barrier-repair toner is formulated around Panthenol and Madecassoside to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness. This hydrating toner is formulated around Limnanthes Alba

Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream Mist Versus Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer

This barrier-repair toner is formulated around Panthenol and Madecassoside to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.

This hydrating toner is formulated around Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil and Ceramide AP to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Oryza Sativa Bran Water

1,2-Hexanediol

Triethylhexanoin

Glycerin

Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)

Tocopherol

Water

Butylene Glycol

Methylpropanediol

Pentylene Glycol

Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment

Pyrus Malus Juice

Panthenol

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Polyquaternium-51

Betaine

Trilaureth-4 Phosphate

Cynanchum Atratum Extract

Althaea Rosea Flower Extract

Oryza Sativa Extract

Sea Salt

Aspergillus Ferment

Sodium Phytate

Citric Acid

Madecassoside

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract

Houttuynia Cordata Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water

Bifida Ferment Extract

Hyaluronic Acid

Silanetriol

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Lactobacillus Ferment

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Rice Amino Acids

Oryza Sativa Bran Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Triethylhexanoin, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Tocopherol, Water, Butylene Glycol, Methylpropanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment, Pyrus Malus Juice, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Polyquaternium-51, Betaine, Trilaureth-4 Phosphate, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Sea Salt, Aspergillus Ferment, Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, Madecassoside, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Bifida Ferment Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Silanetriol, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Rice Amino Acids

Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil

Ceramide AP

Squalane

Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Inulin Lauryl Carbamate

Glyceryl Caprylate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Propanediol

Disodium EDTA

Carbomer

Mannitol

Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer

Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Xanthan Gum

Ceramide NP

Camellia Japonica Flower Extract

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Squalane, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propanediol, Disodium EDTA, Carbomer, Mannitol, Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Ceramide NP, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Tocopherol, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11

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

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.

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.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.

Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.

The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.

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

This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.

The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.

A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

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. 031,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
  4. 04It is a:
  5. 05Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
  6. 06Emollient, helping to soften skin
  7. 07Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
  8. 08Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
  9. 09Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
  10. 10Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
  11. 11Though 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.
  12. 12Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
  13. 13Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
  14. 14It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
  15. 15Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
  16. 16A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
  17. 17Ceramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
  18. 18Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
  19. 19This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
  20. 20A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Source · skinsort.com
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Product index

Related product references

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Comparison edit

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