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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Catrice Pore Blemish Control Serum versus The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution .

Published on April 18, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 5 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain AHA and BHA

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, 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.

Serum German Brand Germany
Facial Treatment Canadian Brand Canada

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Facial Treatment

Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.

Price

Shop

Buy Pore Blemish Control Serum

Shop

Buy Salicylic Acid 2% Solution

Starts at $6.70

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

AHA
BHA
PHA

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture (2)
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging (2)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Drying
Irritating (2)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

AHA
BHA

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
Irritating (2)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

Catrice Pore Blemish Control Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution contains this as ingredient number 11.

2
What it does: Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

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

Catrice Pore Blemish Control Serum contains this as ingredient number 8.

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution contains this as ingredient number 1.

3
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Mixed

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 Hydroxide

Catrice Pore Blemish Control Serum contains this as ingredient number 9.

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution contains this as ingredient number 10.

4
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Disliked

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 Acid

Catrice Pore Blemish Control Serum contains this as ingredient number 17.

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution contains this as ingredient number 4.

5
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

Catrice Pore Blemish Control Serum contains this as ingredient number 18.

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution contains this as ingredient number 6.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

56% are loved or liked
6% have mixed ratings
22% are disliked or very disliked
17% have no rating yet
27% are loved or liked
27% have mixed ratings
45% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Catrice Pore Blemish Control Serum 18 ingredients

Pore Blemish Control Serum hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution 11 ingredients

4.2 /5
from 11 ratings
Great Value (3) Sticky (3) No Scent (3) Absorbs Well (2) Broke Me Out (2) Heavy (2)
JohnnyLeeZongHeng_352's avatar

JohnnyLeeZongHeng_352

2 months ago · Oily Skin
Review

It is like gel consistency but it gets foamy when you try to spread across your face. Despite that, it works on my skin because acnes are getting...

It is like gel consistency but it gets foamy when you try to spread across your face. Despite that, it works on my skin because acnes are getting smaller and my closed comadomes are slowly disappearing.
When it gets foamy after spreading across my face, i simply let it dry for like 30 seconds then put on other skincare.

ris's avatar

ris

1 day ago · Combination Skin
Review

Doesnt cloge pores, i thought it would dry my skin but it didn't, bye bye blackheads.

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