The INKEY List Hydro-Surge Dewy Face Mist Versus BYOMA Balancing Face Mist

The INKEY List Hydro-Surge Dewy Face Mist Versus BYOMA Balancing Face Mist

This hydrating toner is formulated around Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract to hydrate skin and calm redness.

This barrier-repair toner is formulated around Ceramide NP and Cholesterol to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

No key ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Betaine

Xylitylglucoside

Maris Aqua

Phenoxyethanol

Anhydroxylitol

Xylitol

Citric Acid

Pentylene Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate

Lactic Acid

Sodium Benzoate

Water, Glycerin, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Betaine, Xylitylglucoside, Maris Aqua, Phenoxyethanol, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Citric Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Lactic Acid, Sodium Benzoate

Butylene Glycol

Propanediol

Sorbitol

Ceramide NP

Cholesterol

Phytosphingosine

Lactobacillus Ferment

Bifida Ferment Filtrate

Stearic Acid

Caprylyl Glycol

Oleic Acid

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Allantoin

Panthenol

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Hydroxyacetophenone

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Sorbitol, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Lactobacillus Ferment, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Stearic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Oleic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Allantoin, Panthenol, Lactic Acid, Betaine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylhydroxamic 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.

Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.

Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.

Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.

Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.

Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.

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.

Lactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.

Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the “glue” that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.

Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they don’t penetrate as deeply. This means they’re less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.

Like glycolic acid, it can:

Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.

Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skin’s microbiome.

To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.

Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.

Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.

When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the product’s pH.

Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.

Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

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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