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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of CeraVe Acne Control Gel versus e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on January 30, 2023

Overview

What they are

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

Cool Features

They both contain BHA and niacinamide

Suited For

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

Free From

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

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

Facial Treatment Canadian Brand Canada
Exfoliator American Brand United States

Facial Treatment

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

Exfoliator

Exfoliators are used to exfoliate the skin, or remove dead skin cells from the skin. Exfoliators may be chemical or physical.

Price

Shop

Buy Acne Control Gel

Starts at $16.01
Shop

Buy Blemish Breakthrough Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum

Starts at $13.45

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 (2)
BHA
Niacinamide
Ceramides (3)
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (5)
Good For Oily Skin (3)
Redness Reducing (5)
Reduces Irritation (3)
Skin Texture (2)
Reduces Large Pores (4)
Anti-Aging (5)
Dark Spots (3)
Scar Healing (3)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (5)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin
Acne Trigger
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (3)
Eczema (3)

Notable Ingredients

BHA
PHA
Niacinamide

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin (2)
Redness Reducing
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Dark Spots (2)
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
Irritating
Rosacea
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: 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

CeraVe Acne Control Gel contains this as ingredient number 1.

e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.

2
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

CeraVe Acne Control Gel contains this as ingredient number 2.

e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

3
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide

CeraVe Acne Control Gel contains this as ingredient number 7.

e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

4
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

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 EDTA

CeraVe Acne Control Gel contains this as ingredient number 19.

e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.

5
What it does: Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

Learn more about Xanthan Gum

CeraVe Acne Control Gel contains this as ingredient number 22.

e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum contains this as ingredient number 8.

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

58% are loved or liked
4% have mixed ratings
33% are disliked or very disliked
4% have no rating yet
31% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
50% are disliked or very disliked
6% 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

CeraVe Acne Control Gel 24 ingredients

3.4 /5
from 5 ratings
Absorbs Well (1) Great Value (1) Light (1) No Scent (1) Works Well (1)
ab666's avatar

ab666

7 months ago · Unsure Skin
Review

help
I don't know what exactly happened, whether I mixed it with other products whose ingredients didn't go well with those in this gel, but this...

help
I don't know what exactly happened, whether I mixed it with other products whose ingredients didn't go well with those in this gel, but this thing made my skin purge. I might have overused it as well, since I know nothing about skincare, though nonetheless it made my skin angry after one use. Just not for me.

e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum 16 ingredients

Blemish Breakthrough Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum hasn't been rated yet.
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