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Tula Skincare Get Toned Pro-Glycolic 10% Resurfacing Toner Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Tula Skincare Get Toned Pro-Glycolic 10% Resurfacing Toner Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant This smoothing toner is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Lactococcus Ferment Lysate to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking ski

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Tula Skincare Get Toned Pro-Glycolic 10% Resurfacing Toner Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

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

This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycolic Acid

Butylene Glycol

Lactococcus Ferment Lysate

Sodium Hydroxide

Lactic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Agar

Glycerin

Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Cichorium Intybus Root Extract

Yogurt Extract

Carrageenan

Betaine

Glucose

Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil

Xanthan Gum

Potassium Sorbate

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Chloride

Sodium Benzoate

Polysorbate 20

Tetrasodium EDTA

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Glycolic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Agar, Glycerin, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Cichorium Intybus Root Extract, Yogurt Extract, Carrageenan, Betaine, Glucose, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Polysorbate 20, Tetrasodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol

Methylpropanediol

Salicylic Acid

Camellia Oleifera Leaf

Water, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Camellia Oleifera Leaf, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA

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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.

Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.

It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.

The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.

Trace 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).

True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.

Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.

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.

Tetrasodium EDTA is the salt formed from neutralizing ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid with sodium hydroxide. It is a chelating agent and used to prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps keep the product and ingredients stable.

Tetrasodium EDTA comes as a white solid and is soluble in water.

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. 03Avena Sativa Kernel Extract is is derived from colloidal oatmeal. Besides being a healthy breakfast, oats have many benefits in skincare too.
  4. 04This ingredient helps sooth, hydrate, and protect the skin. The starches in colloidal oatmeal are able to bind water, keeping the skin hydrated.
  5. 05The cellulose and fiber in colloidal oatmeal help reduce inflammation. This can also help the skin feel softer.
  6. 06Colloidal Oatmeal is also an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect our skin from free-radical damage.
  7. 07Oatmeal also contains beneficial compounds:
  8. 08This ingredient is created by mixing grounded oatmeal and a liquid base.
  9. 09Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
  10. 10Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
  11. 11In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
  12. 12While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
  13. 13Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
  14. 14This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
  15. 15This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures…
  16. 16Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
  17. 17What it does:
  18. 18Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
  19. 19Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
  20. 20Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

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Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment ingredients explained: Salix Alba Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Arctium Lappa, Phytosterols, Cetyl Esters, Tetr…

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03

Comparison edit

Read side by side

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