Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Peach Slices Snail Rescue Blemish Busting Toner Versus The INKEY List Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA) Toner

Peach Slices Snail Rescue Blemish Busting Toner Versus The INKEY List Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA) Toner This calming toner is formulated around Snail Secretion Filtrate and Centella Asiatica Extract to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier. This smoothing to

Peach Slices Snail Rescue Blemish Busting Toner Versus The INKEY List Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA) Toner

This calming toner is formulated around Snail Secretion Filtrate and Centella Asiatica Extract to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

This smoothing toner is formulated around Gluconolactone and Niacinamide to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Snail Secretion Filtrate 95%

Propanediol

1,2-Hexanediol

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hyaluronic Acid

Centella Asiatica Extract

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Citrate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Citric Acid

Butylene Glycol

Tocopherol

Snail Secretion Filtrate 95%, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Citrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Butylene Glycol, Tocopherol

Water

Gluconolactone 3%

Niacinamide 3%

Pentylene Glycol

Glycerin

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

PPG-26-Buteth-26

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Caprylyl Glycol

Sodium Hydroxide

Water, Propanediol, Gluconolactone 3%, Niacinamide 3%, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide

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.

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.

It is a:

Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin

Emollient, helping to soften skin

Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas

Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

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.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

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. 03Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  4. 04Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  5. 05Your 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.
  6. 06Aquaporin-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.
  7. 07This 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.
  8. 08Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  9. 09Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  10. 10Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
  11. 11It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
  12. 12The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
  13. 13Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
  14. 14True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
  15. 15Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
  16. 16Retinol is one of the most studied anti-aging ingredients in skincare (and for good reason!).
  17. 17It's a form of vitamin A that your skin converts into Retinoic Acid, the active molecule that actually does the work in your cells.
  18. 18That conversion happens in two steps: your skin first turns Retinol into Retinaldehyde (also called Retinal), then turns Retinaldehyde into Retinoic Acid.
  19. 19Retinol is converted to biologically active retinoic acid via retinaldehyde by dehydrogenases in a two-step oxidation process.
  20. 20Each step is a little "upgrade" toward the active form which is part of why Retinol is gentler than prescription Retinoic Acid; your skin does the work gradually. This also explains where Retinol sits in the retinoid family.
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side