Farmacy Honey Milk Hydrating Essence Versus Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner

Farmacy Honey Milk Hydrating Essence Versus Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner

This hydrating essence is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

This barrier-repair toner is formulated around Oenothera Biennis Oil and Borago Officinalis Seed Oil to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate

Propanediol

Betaine

Isopentyldiol

Water

Glycerin

1,2-Hexanediol

Honey Extract

Ceramide NP

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Panthenol

Squalane

Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract

Arginine

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate

Glucomannan

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Citric Acid

Sodium Phytate

Hydroxyacetophenone

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Sucrose Stearate

Caprylyl Glycol

Maltodextrin

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Propanediol, Betaine, Isopentyldiol, Water, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Honey Extract, Ceramide NP, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Panthenol, Squalane, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Arginine, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Glucomannan, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sucrose Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Maltodextrin

Cyclopentasiloxane

Butylene Glycol

Glycereth-26

Dimethiconol

Oenothera Biennis Oil

Borago Officinalis Seed Oil

Sodium Hyaluronate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Tocopherol

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Allantoin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Niacinamide

Superoxide Dismutase

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Myristamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate

Laureth-4

Laureth-23

Disodium EDTA

Chlorphenesin

Phenoxyethanol

Benzoic Acid

Sorbic Acid

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Dimethiconol, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Panthenol, Allantoin, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Superoxide Dismutase, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Myristamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Laureth-4, Laureth-23, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, 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.

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.

Hydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.

It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.

This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.

Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.

Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.

A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).

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 Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

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