Skin science article
Paula's Choice Resist Advanced Replenishing Toner Versus innisfree Green Tea Seed Intensive Hydrating Serum
Paula's Choice Resist Advanced Replenishing Toner Versus innisfree Green Tea Seed Intensive Hydrating Serum This barrier-repair toner is formulated around Linoleic Acid and Phospholipids to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This hydrating serum is
Paula's Choice Resist Advanced Replenishing Toner Versus innisfree Green Tea Seed Intensive Hydrating Serum
This barrier-repair toner is formulated around Linoleic Acid and Phospholipids to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This hydrating serum is formulated around Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Cyclopentasiloxane
Glycerin
Glycereth-26
Polysorbate 20
Dimethiconol
Linoleic Acid
Oleic Acid
Linolenic Acid
Phospholipids
Carnosine
Epigallocatechin Gallate
Genistein
Sodium Hyaluronate
Sphingolipids
Ferulic Acid
Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Acetyl Glucosamine
Quercetin
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Beta Vulgaris Root Extract
Cucurbita Pepo Seed Extract
Lecithin
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Hydrolyzed Corn Starch
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Palmitic Acid
Butylene Glycol
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Xanthan Gum
Laureth-23
Laureth-4
Aminomethyl Propanol
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Phenoxyethanol
Chlorphenesin
Benzoic Acid
Sorbic Acid
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Polysorbate 20, Dimethiconol, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Phospholipids, Carnosine, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Genistein, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sphingolipids, Ferulic Acid, Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Acetyl Glucosamine, Quercetin, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Extract, Lecithin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Palmitic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Laureth-23, Laureth-4, Aminomethyl Propanol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid
Propanediol
Alcohol
Betaine
1,2-Hexanediol
Saccharide Isomerate
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Parfum
Panthenol
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Tromethamine
Ceratonia Siliqua Gum
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Dextrin
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Sorbitan Isostearate
Sodium Citrate
Citric Acid
Sucrose
Water, Propanediol, Alcohol, Glycerin, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Saccharide Isomerate, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sorbitan Olivate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Parfum, Panthenol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Tromethamine, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Sucrose
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.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
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).
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!