What's In My Jar
Nivea Gentle Toner
Nivea

Nivea Gentle Toner

Efficacy75/100IrritancyHigh
See all ingredients

Works for

Cleansing
Peg-40 hydrogenated castor oil
Can be harsh

This product works by removing dirt and oil from the surface of the skin.

Keep in mind that cleansing can disrupt the skin barrier, and most people do not need to cleanse their skin more than once per day.

Peg-40 hydrogenated castor oilEffect: HighHelps oil and water mix together~2.4–3.5%

Can it cause trouble?

Irritancy
5 strong irritants: Butylphenyl methylpropional, Geraniol + 3 more — patch-test recommended
High risk
We flagged 10 ingredients with irritancy potential. Severity depends on your sensitivity threshold; the table lists the worst offenders first.
IngredientFunctionIrritationEst. amount
Butylphenyl methylpropionalA fragrance. Can trigger allergic reactions and be irritatingHigh~0.1–0.3%est.
GeraniolA fragrance. Can be irritatingHigh~0.05–0.2%est.
LimoneneA common frangrance that can easily irritate skin, especially if exposed to air, light or heatHigh~0.05–0.1%est.
Alpha-isomethyl iononeA fragrance. Potential allergen and can be irritatingHigh~0.01–0.05%est.
ParfumAn aromatic blend of unspecified and possibly irritating ingredientsHigh~0.01–0.05%est.
Peg-8Used to create a nice product consistencyMedium~3.4–5.1%est.
Peg-40 hydrogenated castor oilHelps oil and water mix togetherMedium~2.4–3.5%est.
Tocopheryl acetateA more stable but less bio-available form of vitamin E compared to Tocopherol. Might help moisturize and protect the skin from free radicals, but mostly used in low concentrations to stabilize other ingredients.Medium~1.4–2.2%est.
Citric acidCan work as an exfoliant but is typically used to adjust the product pHMedium~0.55–1.35%est.
1,2-hexanediolA preservativeMedium~0.15–0.65%est.
Comedogenic
Clean of flagged comedogenic ingredients
None flagged

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Ingredients

Filter by role to see what each ingredient is doing.

Water~40–60%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low

Plain old water

More about Water
Glycerin~4–6%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low
Works for
Moisturizing

One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant

More about Glycerin
Peg-8~3.4–5.1%
Irritant · medium
Irritation risk
Medium
Works for
Moisturizing

Used to create a nice product consistency

More about Peg-8
Peg-40 hydrogenated castor oil~2.4–3.5%
Irritant · medium
Irritation risk
Medium
Works for
Cleansing

Helps oil and water mix together

More about Peg-40 hydrogenated castor oil
Prunus amygdalus dulcis seed~1.9–2.9%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low
Works for
Moisturizing

Helps soften the upper layer of the skin

More about Prunus amygdalus dulcis seed
Tocopheryl acetate~1.4–2.2%
Irritant · medium
Irritation risk
Medium
Works for
Anti-oxidation

A more stable but less bio-available form of vitamin E compared to Tocopherol. Might help moisturize and protect the skin from free radicals, but mostly used in low concentrations to stabilize other ingredients.

More about Tocopheryl acetate
Panthenol~1.2–1.8%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low
Works for
MoisturizingReduces rednessReduces irritation

Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can help improve skin barrier function

More about Panthenol
Glyceryl glucoside~1.1–1.6%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low
Works for
Moisturizing

Can help to restore skin barrier function and soften its upper layer

More about Glyceryl glucoside
Polyquaternium-10~0.9–1.4%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low

Helps soften the upper layer of the skin and create a nice product finish

More about Polyquaternium-10
Citric acid~0.55–1.35%
Irritant · medium
Irritation risk
Medium

Can work as an exfoliant but is typically used to adjust the product pH

More about Citric acid
Sodium chloride~0.5–1.15%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low

Used to stabilize mixtures of oil and water, and create thicker, gel-like product textures

More about Sodium chloride
Sodium acetate~0.35–0.85%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low
More about Sodium acetate
1,2-hexanediol~0.15–0.65%
Irritant · medium
Irritation risk
Medium

A preservative

More about 1,2-hexanediol
Trisodium edta~0.15–0.65%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low

Helps preserve product formulations

More about Trisodium edta
Phenoxyethanol~0.1–0.45%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low

A preservative. It helps prevent bacterial growth in cosmetic products

More about Phenoxyethanol
Butylphenyl methylpropional~0.1–0.3%
Irritant · high
Irritation risk
High

A fragrance. Can trigger allergic reactions and be irritating

More about Butylphenyl methylpropional
Geraniol~0.05–0.2%
Irritant · high
Irritation risk
High

A fragrance. Can be irritating

More about Geraniol
Limonene~0.05–0.1%
Irritant · high
Irritation risk
High

A common frangrance that can easily irritate skin, especially if exposed to air, light or heat

More about Limonene
Alpha-isomethyl ionone~0.01–0.05%
Irritant · high
Irritation risk
High

A fragrance. Potential allergen and can be irritating

More about Alpha-isomethyl ionone
Parfum~0.01–0.05%
Irritant · high
Irritation risk
High

An aromatic blend of unspecified and possibly irritating ingredients

More about Parfum
Ingredient list view

Water, Glycerin, Peg-8, Peg-40 hydrogenated castor oil, Prunus amygdalus dulcis seed, Tocopheryl acetate, Panthenol, Glyceryl glucoside, Polyquaternium-10, Citric acid, Sodium chloride, Sodium acetate, 1,2-hexanediol, Trisodium edta, Phenoxyethanol, Butylphenyl methylpropional, Geraniol, Limonene, Alpha-isomethyl ionone, Parfum

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Worth comparing, line by line.

Match % combines shared ingredients, the first five ingredients, shared actives and hero ingredients, irritancy (lower counts in the alternative's favour), texture and body area. Only products in the same routine step are compared.

Side-by-side comparison of this product against its closest alternatives
NiveaGentle TonerYOUR PRODUCTPharmacerisN - Puri-Capilique Gentle Mist TonerPure & CareVitamin C TonerEucerinDermatoClean Hyaluron Toner
Match—42%40%38%
Price—$28.51$5.90$4.52
Shared key ingredients—3 of 53 of 52 of 5
Key difference—Acerola Fruit ExtractNiacinamideSodium Hyaluronate
Irritancy High Medium Medium Low
Drying alcohol————
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Sources cited in this review

Every concentration estimate and effectiveness label is anchored to one of these 10 studies and safety reviews.

  1. 1
    Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functionsncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  2. 2
    Amended Safety Assessment of PEGylated Oils as Used in Cosmeticscir-safety.org
  3. 3
    Skin moisturizing effects of panthenol-based formulationspdfs.semanticscholar.org
  4. 4
    Safety Assessment of Panthenol, Pantothenic Acid, and Derivatives as Used in Cosmeticscir-safety.org
  5. 5
    Effects of glyceryl glucoside on AQP3 expression, barrier function and hydration of human skinncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  6. 6
    Treatment of Xerosis with a Topical Formulation Containing Glyceryl Glucoside, Natural Moisturizing Factors, and Ceramideeuropepmc.org
Nivea Gentle Toner
NiveaGentle Toner
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As an Amazon Associate, WIMJ earns from qualifying purchases.