✶

Isntree Chestnut AHA… vs Torriden Balanceful… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

Products
Ingredients
Brands
K-Beauty
Blog
How We Score

Gracie
/Compare
/Isntree Chestnut AHA 8% Clear Essence
/vs
/Torriden Balanceful Cica Toner

Isntree Chestnut AHA 8% Clear Essence vs Torriden Balanceful Cica Toner

Torriden Balanceful Cica Toner scores 8.1/9.8 vs Isntree Chestnut AHA 8% Clear Essence at 7.0/9.8. Torriden Balanceful Cica Toner wins for hydration.

Head to head

Isntree

Chestnut AHA 8% Clear Essence

tonerbudget

7.0

Buy at Olive Young

Compare

Best Moisturisers
Best Serums
Best Cleansers
Best SPF

Ingredients

Niacinamide
Retinol
Hyaluronic Acid
Salicylic Acid

K-Beauty

K-Beauty Hub
K-Beauty Moisturisers
K-Beauty Serums
K-Beauty Sunscreens

About

Methodology
About Us
All Brands
All Products

Gracie

Honest skincare intel. No jargon, no gatekeeping — just the ingredients decoded.

✶

Torriden

Balanceful Cica Toner

tonermid-range

8.1

Score comparison

Torriden Balanceful Cica Toner takes this one, winning 3 of 5 attributes.

Isntree wins 0

Tied 2

Torriden wins 3

9.0

Isntree

Torriden

Ingredient face-off

38% overlap

10Isntree

8Shared

21Torriden

Only in Isntree Chestnut AHA 8% Clear Essence

2 unique

Glycolic Acid Sodium Hydroxide

Shared ingredients

8 in common

Water Butylene Glycol Niacinamide 2-Hexanediol Panthenol Allantoin Sodium Hyaluronate Ethylhexylglycerin

Only in Torriden Balanceful Cica Toner

13 unique

Glycerin Propanediol Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Hydroxyacetophenone Adenosine Madecassoside Asiaticoside Asiatic Acid Madecassic Acid+3 more

Why Torriden Balanceful Cica Toner comes out ahead

Where Torriden Balanceful Cica Toner really shines is hydration efficacy, scoring 6.7 compared to Isntree Chestnut AHA 8% Clear Essence's 4.4. With Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, and Panthenol in its top ingredients, Torriden Balanceful Cica Toner delivers stronger moisture-binding capability.

Active Ingredient Strength is another area of separation. Torriden Balanceful Cica Toner scores 6.6 here versus 5.2 for Isntree Chestnut AHA 8% Clear Essence. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.

Torriden Balanceful Cica Toner brings Niacinamide, Allantoin, and Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate as actives, while isntree Chestnut AHA 8% Clear Essence relies on Glycolic Acid, Niacinamide, and Allantoin. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

Isntree Chestnut AHA 8% Clear Essence is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

Torriden Balanceful Cica Toner is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

Value comparison

At budget pricing with a score of 7.0, Isntree Chestnut AHA 8% Clear Essence is a decent pick. Torriden Balanceful Cica Toner sits at the mid-range level with a 8.1 score — the higher investment pays off in formulation quality.

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

+1.1 lead

Torriden Balanceful Cica Toner wins this comparison with a meaningfully stronger ingredient profile and overall score.

7.0Isntree

✶

8.1Torriden

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Isntree Chestnut AHA 8% Clear Essence or Torriden Balanceful Cica Toner?

Based on ingredient analysis, Torriden Balanceful Cica Toner scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.

Do Isntree Chestnut AHA 8% Clear Essence and Torriden Balanceful Cica Toner share ingredients?

Yes, they share common ingredients. Check the ingredient face-off section above for a detailed comparison.

What's the main difference between Isntree Chestnut AHA 8% Clear Essence and Torriden Balanceful Cica Toner?

The key differences are in their active ingredients and formulation approach. Check the attribute battle above for a detailed breakdown.

Full analysis: Isntree Chestnut AHA 8% Clear Essence→Full analysis: Torriden Balanceful Cica Toner→

We may earn a commission from purchases made through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep Gracie free and independent.

Some links on this site are affiliate links. We may earn a commission from purchases made through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep Gracie free and independent.