Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of CARE:NEL Cicavita B5 Salicylic Acid Gentle Cleanser versus CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser Australia .
Last updated on December 19, 2023. Published on September 14, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 6 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain BHA and PHA
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, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, oils, parabens, silicones or 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).
Price
Ingredient Info
CARE:NEL Cicavita B5 Salicylic Acid Gentle Cleanser 23 ingredients
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser 24 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:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
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 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not 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 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
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 🎉
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
CARE:NEL Cicavita B5 Salicylic Acid Gentle Cleanser 23 ingredients
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser 24 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Benefits
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
CARE:NEL Cicavita B5 Salicylic Acid Gentle Cleanser 23 ingredients
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser 24 ingredients
Water • Glycerin • Palmitic Acid • Myristic Acid • Stearic Acid • Lauric Acid • Potassium Hydroxide • Glyceryl Stearate • Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate • Centella Asiatica Extract 1% • Beeswax • Potassium Benzoate • Parfum • Tranexamic Acid • Panthenol 0.1% • Gluconolactone • Polyquaternium-7 • Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract 0.1% • Disodium EDTA • Salicylic Acid 0.1% • Capric Acid • 1,2-Hexanediol • Ethylhexylglycerin
Water • Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate • Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine • Glycerin • Niacinamide • Gluconolactone • Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate • Peg-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate • Ceramide NP • Ceramide AP • Ceramide EOP • Carbomer • Calcium Gluconate • Salicylic Acid • Sodium Benzoate • Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate • Cholesterol • Phenoxyethanol • Disodium EDTA • Tetrasodium EDTA • Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid • Phytosphingosine • Xanthan Gum • Ethylhexylglycerin
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 WaterCARE:NEL Cicavita B5 Salicylic Acid Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 1.
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser Australia contains this as ingredient number 1.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinCARE:NEL Cicavita B5 Salicylic Acid Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 2.
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser Australia contains this as ingredient number 4.
Gluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs have a larger structure than AHAs and BHAs and are more gentle. It is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This helps improve texture and brightens the skin.
Gluconolactone is a humectant and helps draw moisture to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
PHAs also exhibit antioxidant activity by neutralizing free-radical molecules. This can help with anti-aging.
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells. However, we still recommend wearing SPF especially after using exfoliating ingredients.
Learn more about GluconolactoneCARE:NEL Cicavita B5 Salicylic Acid Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 16.
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser Australia contains this as ingredient number 6.
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 EDTACARE:NEL Cicavita B5 Salicylic Acid Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 19.
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser Australia contains this as ingredient number 19.
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 AcidCARE:NEL Cicavita B5 Salicylic Acid Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 20.
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser Australia contains this as ingredient number 14.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
CARE:NEL Cicavita B5 Salicylic Acid Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 23.
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser Australia contains this as ingredient number 24.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
CARE:NEL Cicavita B5 Salicylic Acid Gentle Cleanser 23 ingredients
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser 24 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
CARE:NEL Cicavita B5 Salicylic Acid Gentle Cleanser 23 ingredients
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser 24 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
CARE:NEL Cicavita B5 Salicylic Acid Gentle Cleanser 23 ingredients
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser 24 ingredients
Samantha_628
Unbelievably good! I used this last night and it made my very sensitive skin quite red. However I need a cleanser to deal with my clogged pores and...
Unbelievably good! I used this last night and it made my very sensitive skin quite red. However I need a cleanser to deal with my clogged pores and was reassured by the beneficial skin barrier ingredients. I also followed it with a soothing toner and lots of ceramides. Woke up and the redness is gone, and my clogged pores are visibly faded. Overnight! No new little breakouts, either. Highly recommend!
Kanwar
This cleanser cleanses your skin using 0.5 salicylic which cleans your pores really well without disrupting or damaging your skin barrier
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