Versus

Anai Rui 10% Mandelic Acid Serum Peel Solution Versus Isntree Chestnut BHA 2% Clear Liquid

Serum
Exfoliator
Swiss Brand Switzerland
Korean Brand South Korea

Updated on July 11, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 4 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain BHA and hyaluronic acid

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens, silicones or sulfates

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning

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 Acid
Humectant, Moisturising, Skin Conditioning

Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in healthy skin. It is a humectant, meaning it draws moisture to your skin.

This ingredient helps hydrate, soothe, and protect the skin.

What makes hyaluronic acid so hydrating? It has the capacity to bind or hold large amounts of water.

Fun fact: It is already naturally found in our bodies, such as the fluids of our eyes and our joints.

Studies find this ingredient to have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. This can help speed up wound-healing.

Hyaluronic acid can be irritating if the molecule has a low-molecular weight, or if the molecules are small.

One study found low-molecular weight hyaluronic acid to be pro-inflammatory, meaning some people may experience irritation. This is because our bodies use hyaluronic acid in the wound-healing process to signal to our bodies, via irritation, that something needs healing.

The same study found high-molecular weight hyaluronic acid to be anti-inflammatory.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Hyaluronic Acid
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse. 

It is a:

  • Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
  • Emollient, helping to soften skin
  • Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
  • Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives 

When to use

1 Routine
0% use in am
100% use in pm
100% use every week
483 Routines
16% use in am
84% use in pm
40% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Anai Rui 10% Mandelic Acid Serum Peel Solution 19 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 rating
Chioma2810's avatar

Chioma2810

2 years ago
Review

GrHOLY GRAIL for dark spots, texture, and uneven skin tone!! (Great alternative to glycolic acid)
I have used this for 3+ months and honestly my skin has never been better! It’s a power house of a product as you can see from the ingredients. It’s super gentle and even a tad bit moisturizing. I use it daily, either as a spot treatment or a peel solution when my face feels rougher. I used to use Show more

Isntree Chestnut BHA 2% Clear Liquid 21 ingredients

4.6 /5
from 12 ratings
Works Well (7) Great Value (6) Light (5)
BrittBrine's avatar

BrittBrine

1 year ago
Review

HG! This is my favorite chemical exfoliant I have ever used! I will use this forever!
It's a watery toner but the next morning my face looks so nice and feels so smooth. It has helped with acne and doesn't sting if using on healthy skin. It also doesn't dry out my skin if I leave it on for a while before putting other products on.

#great value
#hydrating
#light
#absorbs well
ChantelleAng's avatar

ChantelleAng

1 year ago
Review

GREAT exfoliator for ppl with sensitive skin. so gentle and is very effective. its so much better than paula's choice for me, so much more gentle highly recc!!!

#great value
#hydrating
#light
#absorbs well