Farmacy Brighten Up 3% TXA Dark Spot Toner with Azelaic Acid + PHA Versus Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner

Farmacy Brighten Up 3% TXA Dark Spot Toner with Azelaic Acid + PHA Versus Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner

This brightening toner is formulated around Gluconolactone and Tranexamic Acid to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking 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

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Gluconolactone

Pentylene Glycol

Isopentyldiol

Tranexamic Acid

Betaine

Propanediol

Azelaic Acid

Ascorbic Acid

Citrus Aurantium Amara Fruit Extract

Citrus Aurantium Sinensis Peel Extract

Citrus Reticulata Fruit Extract

Glycerin

Allantoin

Polyglycerin-6

Inulin

Fructose

Glucose

Xanthan Gum

Cellulose Gum

Lactic Acid

Citric Acid

Sodium Phytate

Cellulose

Water, Gluconolactone, Pentylene Glycol, Isopentyldiol, Tranexamic Acid, Betaine, Propanediol, Azelaic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Amara Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Sinensis Peel Extract, Citrus Reticulata Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Allantoin, Polyglycerin-6, Inulin, Fructose, Glucose, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Cellulose

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

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

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.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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