Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner Versus Pixi Beauty Glow Tonic

Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner Versus Pixi Beauty Glow Tonic Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner US versus Pixi Beauty Glow Tonic. This pore-care toner is formulated around Niacinamide and Panthenol to re

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Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner Versus Pixi Beauty Glow Tonic Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner US versus Pixi Beauty Glow Tonic. This pore-care toner is formulated around Niacinamide and Panthenol to refine the look of pores and balance excess oil. This smoothing toner is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin. Water Glycerin Butylene Glycol Niacinamide Polysorbate 20 Adenosine Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract Arctium Lappa Seed Oil Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters Sodium PCA Panthenol Sodium Hyaluronate Ceramide NP Ceramide AP Ceramide EOP Phytosphingosine Cholesterol Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate Oleth-10 Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate Caprylyl Glycol Hexylene Glycol Sodium Citrate Xanthan Gum Trisodium EDTA Phenoxyethanol Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Polysorbate 20, Adenosine, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Arctium Lappa Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Oleth-10, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol Glycolic Acid Sodium Hydroxide Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Hamamelis Virginiana Water Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract Fructose Glucose Sucrose Urea Dextrin Alanine Glutamic Acid Aspartic Acid Hexyl Nicotinate Panax Ginseng Root Extract Ethylhexylglycerin Disodium EDTA Biotin PPG-26-Buteth-26 PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil 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 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. 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. Hexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster. It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily. As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin. Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%. This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing. A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations. Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair. There are two forms of panthenol: D and L. D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol. Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons): Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated. This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds. Once oxidized, panthe