proactiv Step 2 Toner
proactiv Proactiv Step 2 Toner lists 21 ingredients on its label, 20 decoded. See what each one does, its irritancy and comedogenic tendency, and its status in national inventories.
Ingredients overview
Label order. Colour is our internal rating: green routine, yellow restricted or worth a look, red prohibited or high-risk, grey not yet decoded.
Ingredients are listed in label order; the order reflects the label only, not exact concentrations.
- Water
- Glycolic Acid
- Sodium Hydroxide
- Polysorbate 20
- Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
- Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
- Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
- Rosa Canina Fruit Extract
- Sodium PCA
- Glycerin
- Panthenol
- Allantoin
- Benzophenone-4
- Hydroxyethylcellulose
- Tetrasodium EDTA
- Imidazolidinyl Urea
- Methylparaben
- Propylparaben
- Fragrance
- Blue 1
- Yellow 5
Highlights
Free of alcoholFree of siliconesFree of sulfatesFree of mineral oilFree of essential oilsContains PEGContains formaldehyde releasersContains fragranceContains parabensContains EU-26 allergens
Key ingredients
- ANTIPLAQUE
- Water
- BUFFERING
- Glycolic AcidSodium Hydroxide
- SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING
- Polysorbate 20
- SKIN CONDITIONING
- Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf ExtractAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
- FRAGRANCE
- Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
- ASTRINGENT
- Rosa Canina Fruit Extract
Other ingredients
Sodium PCAGlycerinPanthenolAllantoinBenzophenone-4HydroxyethylcelluloseTetrasodium EDTAImidazolidinyl UreaMethylparabenPropylparabenFragranceBlue 1Yellow 5
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ANTIPLAQUE, SKIN CONDITIONING, SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Glycolic Acid | BUFFERING | 2 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Hydroxide | BUFFERING, DENATURANT · 限制 III/15a | 3 · – | Green |
| Polysorbate 20 | SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract | SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract | FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING, PERFUMING | 1 · – | Green |
| Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice | SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Rosa Canina Fruit Extract | ASTRINGENT, SKIN CONDITIONING, TONIC | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium PCA | ANTISTATIC, HAIR CONDITIONING, HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | – · 0 | Green |
| Glycerin | DENATURANT, HAIR CONDITIONING, HUMECTANT, ORAL CARE, SKIN PROTECTING, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, PERFUMING, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Panthenol | ANTISTATIC, HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Allantoin | SKIN CONDITIONING, SKIN PROTECTING, SOOTHING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Benzophenone-4 | Not decoded yet | — | — |
| Hydroxyethylcellulose | BINDING, EMULSION STABILISING, FILM FORMING, LIGHT STABILIZER, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Tetrasodium EDTA | CHELATING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Imidazolidinyl Urea | PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/27 | 1 · – | Yellow |
| Methylparaben | FRAGRANCE, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/12 | 0 · 0 | Yellow |
| Propylparaben | PRESERVATIVE, PERFUMING · 限制 V/12 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Fragrance | 矫味剂,增香剂 | — | Yellow |
| Blue 1 | 着色剂 | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Yellow 5 | 着色剂 | 2 · 0 | Green |
Ingredients explained
- Water
- Primary solvent and base; requires preservative system to prevent microbial growth
- Glycolic Acid
- Glycolic acid for exfoliation; requires buffering at concentrations >10%, avoid combination with other acids.
- Sodium Hydroxide
- Strong base neutralizer for pH adjustment; handle with extreme care
- Polysorbate 20
- Non-ionic emulsifier and cleansing surfactant; contains PEG, control microbial load.
- Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
- Witch hazel leaf extract for astringency and skin care; common in soothing formulas
- Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
- Chamomile extract used for soothing; check for potential sensitizing allergens.
- Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
- Natural humectant and soother with high water activity; requires preservative system, generally well-tolerated
- Rosa Canina Fruit Extract
- Rich in Vit C and polyphenols, astringent; water-soluble, unstable, add at low temp.
- Sodium PCA
- Sodium PCA, NMF component, 1-10% humectant; salty/tacky at high levels.
- Glycerin
- Workhorse humectant at 3–10%; tacky at high levels, pair with occlusives
- Panthenol
- Panthenol (vitamin B5) at 1–5%; moisturizing and reparative, supports barrier recovery
- Allantoin
- Skin soother at 0.5-2%; promotes cell regeneration
- Benzophenone-4
- Not decoded yet
- Hydroxyethylcellulose
- Water-soluble cellulose ether for thickening and suspension stabilization; sensitive to ions, electrolytes reduce viscosity, use at pH 7-8.
- Tetrasodium EDTA
- Chelator removing metal ions to enhance antioxidant and preservative efficacy; very low usage, typically 0.05-0.1%, no direct skincare function.
- Imidazolidinyl Urea
- Formaldehyde releaser in preservative systems; monitor for formaldehyde and urea sensitivity issues.
- Methylparaben
- Preservative, narrow spectrum; often combined, check allergen risk and regulatory limits.
- Propylparaben
- Medium-chain preservative; restricted use, pH-sensitive efficacy.
- Fragrance
- Fragrance; concentration must control allergen risk, label specific components
- Blue 1
- Synthetic water-soluble dye for color; use within regulatory limits
- Yellow 5
- Synthetic dye for color; known allergen, may irritate sensitive skin.
Source: full ingredient list published on the product label, collected 2026-09-19. Ratings are our internal reading, not a regulatory conclusion. · Product page
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