Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution Versus PCA Skin Daily Exfoliant

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution Versus PCA Skin Daily Exfoliant This smoothing toner is formulated around Glycolic Acid to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin. What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-sid

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution Versus PCA Skin Daily Exfoliant

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycolic Acid

Rosa Damascena Flower Water

Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water

Propanediol

Glycerin

Triethanolamine

Aminomethyl Propanol

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract

Aspartic Acid

Alanine

Glycine

Serine

Valine

Isoleucine

Proline

Threonine

Histidine

Phenylalanine

Glutamic Acid

Arginine

PCA

Sodium PCA

Sodium Lactate

Fructose

Glucose

Sucrose

Urea

Hexyl Nicotinate

Dextrin

Citric Acid

Polysorbate 20

Gellan Gum

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Sodium Chloride

Hexylene Glycol

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprylyl Glycol

Water, Glycolic Acid, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Triethanolamine, Aminomethyl Propanol, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Aspartic Acid, Alanine, Glycine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Glutamic Acid, Arginine, PCA, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Fructose, Glucose, Sucrose, Urea, Hexyl Nicotinate, Dextrin, Citric Acid, Polysorbate 20, Gellan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Chloride, Hexylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol

Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate

Cellulose Acetate

Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside

Acrylates Copolymer

Coco-Glucoside

Glyceryl Oleate

Sodium Cocoamphoacetate

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Benzyl Alcohol

Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine

Ethylhexylglycerin

Bisabolol

Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters

Sclerotium Gum

Sodium Hydroxide

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil

Salicornia Herbacea Extract

Tetrasodium EDTA

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Propanediol, Cellulose Acetate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Acrylates Copolymer, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Benzyl Alcohol, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Bisabolol, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Tetrasodium EDTA, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Reviews

Be the first to review

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

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.

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.

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. 03Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
  4. 04Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
  5. 05Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
  6. 06Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
  7. 07This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
  8. 08Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
  9. 09While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl…
  10. 10We don't have a description for Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate yet.
  11. 11Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
  12. 12It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
  13. 13On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
  14. 14Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
  15. 15You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
  16. 16Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
  17. 17Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
  18. 18Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
  19. 19Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate is a gentle cleanser and surfactant. It is the sodium salt of the Cocoyl Glutamic Acid and comes from coconut oil. As a surfactant, it helps lift dirt and oil to be washed away.
  20. 20Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate also has an emolliating effect and can help leave the skin feeling soft.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

PCA Skin Daily Cleansing Oil

PCA Skin Daily Cleansing Oil PCA Skin Daily Cleansing Oil ingredients explained: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, P…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →

Product

PCA Skin Après Peel Hydrating Balm

PCA Skin Après Peel Hydrating Balm PCA Skin Après Peel Hydrating Balm ingredients explained: Water, Glycerin, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate/C…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →

Product

PCA Skin Purifying Mask

PCA Skin Purifying Mask PCA Skin Purifying Mask ingredients explained: Water/Aqua/Eau, Pumice, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Glycerin, Illite, Kaolin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-10…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side

Continue reading

Related articles