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Isntree Clear Skin BHA Toner Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Isntree Clear Skin BHA Toner Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant This acne toner is formulated around Betaine Salicylate and Salix Alba Bark Extract to clear breakouts and calm redness. This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around S

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Isntree Clear Skin BHA Toner Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

This acne toner is formulated around Betaine Salicylate and Salix Alba Bark Extract to clear breakouts and calm redness.

This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Betaine Salicylate

Hizikia Fusiforme Extract

Codium Fragile Extract

Ecklonia Cava Extract

Gelidium Cartilagineum Extract

Salix Alba Bark Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract

Portulaca Oleracea Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Soy Isoflavones

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder

Allantoin

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Panthenol

Sodium Hydroxide

Xanthan Gum

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine Salicylate, Hizikia Fusiforme Extract, Codium Fragile Extract, Ecklonia Cava Extract, Gelidium Cartilagineum Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Soy Isoflavones, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Panthenol, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum

Methylpropanediol

Salicylic Acid

Polysorbate 20

Camellia Oleifera Leaf

Tetrasodium EDTA

Water, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Camellia Oleifera Leaf, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA

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.

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.

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

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. 03Alanine is an amino acid and is already found in the human body. Our skin uses alanine to build collagen, elastin, and keratin.
  4. 04Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
  5. 05It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
  6. 06Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
  7. 07A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
  8. 08Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
  9. 09One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
  10. 10Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
  11. 11Aspartic Acid is an amino acid that our bodies produce naturally. It is an antioxidant.
  12. 12Our body uses Aspartic Acid to help build collagen and elastin. It also plays a role in hydrating skin.
  13. 13Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  14. 14Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  15. 15Your 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.
  16. 16Aquaporin-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.
  17. 17This 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.
  18. 18Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  19. 19Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  20. 20Glycine is the smallest amino acid and a key building block of collagen. It's part if your skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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