Battle of the Green Tea Toners!

Hello beauties!!!

So today I'm going to be doing something a little bit different. I've decided to do a comparison review of two very similar products and see how they measure up against each other. What their pros and cons are and whether there are any subtle differences between them. It's also my first time discussing Korean skincare, so please be patient with me! These are just my own opinions and are by no means right or wrong. I'm just talking about these products based on my own personal experience. So make sure you're sitting somewhere comfortable whilst I spill the tea (pun intended!) on these two very similar toners...

Background info and reasons for purchase:

I was researching the best toners for oily skin on Google when the Benton Deep Green Tea Toner caught my eye. It claimed to help balance out oil levels whilst hydrating and soothing. It had 50% green tea extract, came in an 150ml bottle and was on sale at yesstyle.com for £13.70 (or something like that). However I then found a dupe for the Benton toner on stylevana.com called the Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner. It had 80% green tea extract and  came in a 200ml bottle, which made me think that it might be better than the Benton one. It was also on sale for a similar price so I couldn't exactly say no, could I? I also figured that it would make a good blog post... and here we are 2 months later! ;)

Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner #1

"Green tea from pure Jeju Island helps control excessive sebum for soft skin"

Initial thoughts (week 1): Feels very refreshing and light on the skin with no stickiness. Takes about 2 minutes to completely dry down and absorb into the skin. Not sure about the yellow/brown tint of the formula or the slightly herbal scent. The first time I used it I noticed a few red bumps around my mouth, however they soon cleared the next day. 

Overall thoughts (week 4): I love how hydrating it feels and the astringent ingredients (willow bark extract) don't dry out my skin at all. The colour and smell still bother me but it did control my oil levels which I love :)

Pros:

• 80% green tea extract
• Feels really refreshing
• Controls sebum production
• 200ml bottle

Cons:

• Natural tea scent
• Brown colour formula
• Takes awhile to absorb

Benton Deep Green Tea Toner #2

"A light and hydrating toner enriched with green tea from Boseong, which is the most famous tea making producing area in Korea. The toner replenishes moisture, soothes, and freshens, while leaving skin healthy and clear"

Initial thoughts (week 1): It has a clear formula that's very watery with no scent. It dries within a minute and I experienced no reaction to it at all. It also feels nice on the skin but you need a lot of it to get any hydration benefits. Once absorbed it makes my skin feel firm and smooth. It doesn't feel at all greasy or tacky either.

Overall thoughts (week 4): I find that one layer is enough as long as I follow with a hydrating serum and moisturiser. Mostly I just don't have the patience to wait for the second layer to dry lol. It still makes my skin feel plump and smooth and I find that it helps my serums and moisturisers to absorb better. My oil levels are a lot more balanced as a result.

Pros: 

• Has no fragrance 
• Nice and light on the skin
• Balances my oil levels during the day
• Only takes a minute to absorb

Cons:

• Not hydrating enough
• Comes in an 150ml bottle
• Only has 50% green tea extract

Isntree Vs Benton: How do they compare?

Similarities: The main thing they share in common is that they both contain Centella Asiatica; Isntree has it as the fourth ingredient and Benton the eighth. I feel like this might be why the Isntree toner is more refreshing and soothing on the skin. They also both have willow bark extract, as I've mentioned above, which is a natural astringent that helps to dry out excess sebum on the skin. As a result my skin has a better balance of oils and hydration, meaning that the my skin isn't left feeling stripped.

Differences: For starters the Isntree toner has a higher percentage of green tea than the Benton one. However I'm not sure if this really makes a difference to how they perform. Despite having a lower percentage of green tea extract the Benton toner has 3 different types of green tea extract: leaf water, seed and root. I also feel like the Isntree toner is more hydrating even though willow bark extract is the fifth ingredient, whereas it's the third to last in the Benton one. Another difference is the colour of the formula; Isntree has a brownish tint and the Benton has a much more subtle, translucent yellow colour. I will admit that the tea scent of the Isntree is a bit too natural for me, whereas the Benton has no scent at all.

Overall verdict: I think these two toners are very closely matched in ingredients and performance but with slight differences in the general feel and experience of the product. I much prefer the fresh feeling of the Isntree toner compared to the very light veil of hydration you get from the Benton toner. I think they're both very effective at controlling excess sebum and leaving the skin feeling plump and smooth. Therefore I couldn't say that one does a better job than the other in terms of the results you achieve, however the experience is very different. For example the Isntree takes a lot longer to absorb than the Benton and feels a lot more hydrating on the skin. I also think the Isntree is better value for money as you get 200ml compared to the 150ml in the Benton toner. Plus there's a higher concentration of natural extracts in the Isntree toner, making it a lot more gentle and soothing on the skin.

And the winner of the battle is... 

It's a very close competition but if we're talking about which one gives the most immediate results, I'd say the Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner. It provides plenty of hydration, controls excess sebum and helps my other products to absorb better. However if we're basing it on the experience and aesthetics alone, I'd say the Benton toner because it has a subtle tint, zero scent and absorbs a lot quicker into the skin. They both give the skin a soft and supple finish as well as soothing the skin and reducing redness. For that reason I would conclude that the two toners tie as they both have an equal amount of benefits. Therefore I couldn't say which is the clear winner. Perhaps with further use I'll see more noticeable improvements in my skin from using one toner over the other. I think I'll alternate between the two every 4 weeks to see which one performs better over time. Then maybe I'll be able to come to a more solid conclusion.

Who Cares, We Care, Skincare :)