Smoochkins Azure Hya-Peptide Matrix Essence Toner Versus Ellana Mineral Cosmetics Stay Fresh Toner Essence

Smoochkins Azure Hya-Peptide Matrix Essence Toner Versus Ellana Mineral Cosmetics Stay Fresh Toner Essence

This hydrating toner is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Copper Tripeptide-1 to hydrate skin and soften the look of wrinkles.

This oil-control toner is formulated around Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate and Niacinamide to balance excess oil and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Sodium Citrate

Propanediol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Potassium Hyaluronate

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic Acid

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Sodium Retinoyl Hyaluronate

Zinc Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Ascorbylpropyl Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate

Ascorbyl Propyl Hyaluronate

Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Caprylyl Glycol

Copper Tripeptide-1

Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate

S-Mu-Conotoxin Cniiic

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Nonapeptide-1

Carnosine

Allantoin

Malachite Extract

Citric Acid

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Pentylene Glycol

Butylene Glycol

Sodium Benzoate

Water, Glycerin, Sodium Citrate, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Retinoyl Hyaluronate, Zinc Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Ascorbylpropyl Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate, Ascorbyl Propyl Hyaluronate, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Copper Tripeptide-1, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, S-Mu-Conotoxin Cniiic, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Nonapeptide-1, Carnosine, Allantoin, Malachite Extract, Citric Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate

Dipropylene Glycol

Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate

Sodium Lactate

Sodium Gluconate

Niacinamide

Acetyl Glucosamine

Centella Asiatica Extract

Morus Alba Bark Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Broussonetia Kazinoki Root Extract

Tricholoma Matsutake Extract

Galactoarabinan

Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract

Xanthan Gum

Disodium EDTA

Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Gluconate, Niacinamide, Acetyl Glucosamine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Broussonetia Kazinoki Root Extract, Tricholoma Matsutake Extract, Galactoarabinan, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Disodium 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.

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It 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.

On 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.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'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.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-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.

Adverse 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.

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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