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Pixi Beauty Glow Tonic Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant

Pixi Beauty Glow Tonic Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant This smoothing toner is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin. This

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Pixi Beauty Glow Tonic Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant

This smoothing toner is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin.

This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Mandelic Acid and Lactic Acid to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycolic Acid

Sodium Hydroxide

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Hamamelis Virginiana Water

Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract

Hexylene Glycol

Fructose

Glucose

Sucrose

Urea

Dextrin

Alanine

Glutamic Acid

Aspartic Acid

Hexyl Nicotinate

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Ethylhexylglycerin

Disodium EDTA

Biotin

Panthenol

PPG-26-Buteth-26

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Phenoxyethanol

Parfum

Caramel

Benzyl Benzoate

Citral

Citronellol

Coumarin

Geraniol

Hexyl Cinnamal

Hydroxycitronellal

Limonene

Linalool

CI 14700

Water, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract, Hexylene Glycol, Fructose, Glucose, Sucrose, Urea, Dextrin, Alanine, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Hexyl Nicotinate, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Biotin, Panthenol, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Caramel, Benzyl Benzoate, Citral, Citronellol, Coumarin, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Linalool, CI 14700

2,3-Butanediol

Mandelic Acid

Lactic Acid

Myrica Cerifera Fruit Extract

Akebia Quinata Stem Extract

Prunus Lannesiana Flower Extract

Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate

Saccharomyces Lysate

Achillea Millefolium Extract

Saccharide Isomerate

Arginine

Hydroxyacetophenone

Sodium Phytate

Pentylene Glycol

Xanthan Gum

Citric Acid

Sodium Citrate

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprylyl Glycol

Sodium Benzoate

Water, 2,3-Butanediol, Mandelic Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Myrica Cerifera Fruit Extract, Akebia Quinata Stem Extract, Prunus Lannesiana Flower Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Saccharomyces Lysate, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Arginine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Phytate, Pentylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate

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!

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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. 10Glycolic Acid is arguably the most famous alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) with tons of research backing its benefits.
  11. 11It is found naturally in sugar cane but the form used in skincare is usually synthetic for purity and stability.
  12. 12Glycolic acid removes the top layer of dead skin cells to allow newer and fresher ones to emerge.
  13. 13AHAs work by breaking down the structural “glue” that holds old skin cells in place. When that buildup is gone, your skin can renew itself more efficiently.
  14. 14Research also shows glycolic acid stimulates collagen production, helping to firm and thicken the skin over time. This is one of its biggest advantages over other AHAs.
  15. 15Overall, glycolic acid helps with:
  16. 16Fun fact: Glycolic acid boosts skin hydration by helping it produce molecules that increase hyaluronic acid naturally.
  17. 17To work best, glycolic acid products should have a pH between 3-4 (that’s where exfoliation is most effective but still gentle on skin).
  18. 18The pH and concentration of a product are key to its effectiveness:
  19. 19It is normal to feel a slight stinging sensation when using glycolic acid. This usually fades as your skin adjusts.
  20. 20Because glycolic acid has the smallest molecular size in the AHA family, it can penetrate deeper, which enhances its effectiveness but also makes it more likely to irritate sensitive skin.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
02

Product index

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03

Comparison edit

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