Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of African Extracts Rooibos Skin Care Purifying Deep Cleansing Gel Face Wash versus Neutrogena Clear & Defend + Facial Wash .
Last updated on September 06, 2023. Published on April 28, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 8 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain AHA and BHA
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, oils, parabens or silicones
What's Inside
They both contain sulfates
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Face Cleanser
Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).
Face Cleanser
Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).
Ingredient Info
African Extracts Rooibos Skin Care Purifying Deep Cleansing Gel Face Wash 23 ingredients
Neutrogena Clear & Defend + Facial Wash 14 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Contains Sulfate
Ingredients in this product that are types of sulfate:
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Contains Sulfate
Ingredients in this product that are types of sulfate:
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
African Extracts Rooibos Skin Care Purifying Deep Cleansing Gel Face Wash 23 ingredients
Neutrogena Clear & Defend + Facial Wash 14 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
African Extracts Rooibos Skin Care Purifying Deep Cleansing Gel Face Wash 23 ingredients
Neutrogena Clear & Defend + Facial Wash 14 ingredients
Water • Sodium Lauryl Sulfate • Cocamide Dea • Cocamidopropyl Betaine • Sorbitol • Sodium Chloride • Decyl Glucoside • Peg-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate • Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract • Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract • Citric Acid • Laureth-4 • Disodium EDTA • Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine • Salicylic Acid • Phenoxyethanol • Caprylyl Glycol • Sodium Hydroxide • Sodium Metabisulfite • Parfum • Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone • Limonene • Linalool
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterAfrican Extracts Rooibos Skin Care Purifying Deep Cleansing Gel Face Wash contains this as ingredient number 1.
Neutrogena Clear & Defend + Facial Wash contains this as ingredient number 1.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is a sulfate with surfactant properties.
The surfactant property make it a great foam creator and cleansing agent. Surfactants help bind ingredients that normally do not mix.
Some studies have shown skin irritation due to prolonged SLS use.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a milder version of SLS.
Learn more about Sodium Lauryl SulfateAfrican Extracts Rooibos Skin Care Purifying Deep Cleansing Gel Face Wash contains this as ingredient number 2.
Neutrogena Clear & Defend + Facial Wash contains this as ingredient number 9.
Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol. It is a hydrating and moisturizing agent created from the reduction process of glucose.
Most sorbitol is usually made from potato starch. It is also found in fruits such as apples and pears.
As a humectant, Sorbitol helps draw water to the skin. This helps keep the skin hydrated. Sorbitol also helps create a thicker texture in products. You might find sorbitol in your toothpaste and other gels.
It is a non-irritating ingredient that is great for those with dry skin.
Sorbitol is a prebiotic. It helps promote the growth of healthy bacteria on your skin. The bacteria on your skin form a microbiome. This microbiome helps protect your skin from infection and harmful bacteria.
Learn more about SorbitolAfrican Extracts Rooibos Skin Care Purifying Deep Cleansing Gel Face Wash contains this as ingredient number 5.
Neutrogena Clear & Defend + Facial Wash contains this as ingredient number 4.
Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt.
This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.
The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.
Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideAfrican Extracts Rooibos Skin Care Purifying Deep Cleansing Gel Face Wash contains this as ingredient number 6.
Neutrogena Clear & Defend + Facial Wash contains this as ingredient number 10.
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.
As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidAfrican Extracts Rooibos Skin Care Purifying Deep Cleansing Gel Face Wash contains this as ingredient number 11.
Neutrogena Clear & Defend + Facial Wash contains this as ingredient number 13.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.
Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAAfrican Extracts Rooibos Skin Care Purifying Deep Cleansing Gel Face Wash contains this as ingredient number 13.
Neutrogena Clear & Defend + Facial Wash contains this as ingredient number 12.
Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is one of the most well-known ingredients for treating skin that struggles with blackheads and acne. It helps to exfoliate both the skin's surface and pores, and also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.
This multitasking property makes it a great ingredient for cleaning out pores, controlling oil production, and reducing inflammation.
Unlike AHAs which are water soluble, Salicylic Acid is oil soluble. This means that it's able to exfoliate the inside of pores and reduce blackheads.
Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.
It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing a Salicylic Acid into your routine.
In general, Salicylic Acid is a great ingredient for oily acne-prone skin.
While salicylic acid does not increase sun-sensitivity, we still recommend wearing SPF.
If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.
Learn more about Salicylic AcidAfrican Extracts Rooibos Skin Care Purifying Deep Cleansing Gel Face Wash contains this as ingredient number 15.
Neutrogena Clear & Defend + Facial Wash contains this as ingredient number 8.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideAfrican Extracts Rooibos Skin Care Purifying Deep Cleansing Gel Face Wash contains this as ingredient number 18.
Neutrogena Clear & Defend + Facial Wash contains this as ingredient number 7.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
African Extracts Rooibos Skin Care Purifying Deep Cleansing Gel Face Wash 23 ingredients
Neutrogena Clear & Defend + Facial Wash 14 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
African Extracts Rooibos Skin Care Purifying Deep Cleansing Gel Face Wash 23 ingredients
Neutrogena Clear & Defend + Facial Wash 14 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
African Extracts Rooibos Skin Care Purifying Deep Cleansing Gel Face Wash 23 ingredients
Neutrogena Clear & Defend + Facial Wash 14 ingredients
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