Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin™ Liquid Versus Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner

Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin™ Liquid Versus Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner

This barrier-repair toner is formulated around Panthenol and Centella Asiatica Extract to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This pore-care toner is formulated around Niacinamide and Panthenol to refine the look of pores and balance excess oil.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Dipropylene Glycol

Alcohol

Betaine

Propanediol

Glycosyl Trehalose

1,2-Hexanediol

Erythritol

Pentylene Glycol

Glycerin

Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Triethylhexanoin

Diphenyl Dimethicone

Panthenol

Butylene Glycol

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Centella Asiatica Extract

Ficus Carica Fruit Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract

Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract

Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Pyracantha Fortuneana Fruit Extract

Carbomer

Cellulose Gum

Sucrose Distearate

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Methylpropanediol

Disodium EDTA

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

C12-14 Pareth-12

Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate

Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil

Dextrin

Glyceryl Stearate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Salvia Officinalis Oil

Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil

Cholesterol

Ceramide EOP

Ceramide AP

Ceramide As

Ceramide Ns

Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Alcohol, Betaine, Propanediol, Glycosyl Trehalose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Erythritol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethylhexanoin, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Pyracantha Fortuneana Fruit Extract, Carbomer, Cellulose Gum, Sucrose Distearate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methylpropanediol, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, C12-14 Pareth-12, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Dextrin, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Cholesterol, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ns

Niacinamide

Polysorbate 20

Adenosine

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Arctium Lappa Seed Oil

Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters

Sodium PCA

Ceramide NP

Phytosphingosine

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Oleth-10

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Caprylyl Glycol

Hexylene Glycol

Sodium Citrate

Xanthan Gum

Trisodium EDTA

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Polysorbate 20, Adenosine, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Arctium Lappa Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Oleth-10, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

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.

Ceramide AP is is a skin-identical lipid that mimics what your skin already makes naturally. Ceramides help maintain epidermal integrity and barrier function.

You'll often see this ingredient paired with other ceramides (like ceramide NP), cholesterol, or fatty acids because this combination best mimics the natural lipid mix your skin already has.

The skin's ability to produce ceramides gets disrupted in skin conditions like eczema. This in turn weakens the skin barrier and applying ceramides topically has been shown to replenish what's been lost to restore barrier function.

Most of the studies with Ceramide AP test it as part of a multi-ceramide complex; studies reinforce ceramide AP's role in rebalancing ceramides in skin and improving skin hydration.

Ceramide EOP is formally known as Ceramide 1.

It is naturally found in skin and part of the intercellular "mortar" holding everything together in your outermost layer.

EOP stands for a linked Ester fatty acid, a linked Omega hydroxy fatty acid, and the Phytosphingosine base.

What makes Ceramide EOP special is its ultra-long fatty acid chain; this unique structure allows it to bridge the lipid layers in your skin barrier to prevent water loss (something no other ceramide can do).

Low levels of Ceramide EOP have been found in people with eczema and psoriasis.

Using it together with other ceramides, cholesterol, and linoleic acid have been shown to meaningfully improve hydration and reduce water loss.

In one clinical study, a regimen using Ceramide EOP, NP, and AP led to significant symptom improvements in patients with eczema, psoriasis, and dry skin in just 4 weeks.

You'll usually see concentrations between 0.1-0.5% in formulations. Overall, this is a well-tolerated and safe ingredient for cosmetic use.

Cholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.

It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.

Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.

Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.

Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.

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.

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

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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