Explore Routine Login

Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of CeraVe Acne Control Gel versus Sunday Riley Glycolic Acid Treatment .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on November 09, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe facial treatments. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain AHA

Suited For

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

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols or parabens

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
Facial Treatment 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.

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 Acne Control Gel

Starts at $16.01
Shop

Buy Glycolic Acid Treatment

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

AHA

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Brightening (2)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin (4)
Acne Trigger
Irritating
Rosacea
Join our community

Build your routine, track which ingredients work for you, and much more with your free account.

Join SkinSort

Ingredients Side-by-side

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

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

Loading ingredients...

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

CeraVe Acne Control Gel contains this as ingredient number 2.

Sunday Riley Glycolic Acid Treatment contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Glycerin

CeraVe Acne Control Gel contains this as ingredient number 3.

Sunday Riley Glycolic Acid Treatment contains this as ingredient number 12.

3
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Loved

Glycolic Acid is arguably the most famous AHA with research to back up its benefits. Its main role is to peel the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Glycolic Acid has shown to boost collage production, a protein that helps skin stay firm. Overall, Glycolic Acid helps with improving uneven tone, rough patches of skin, fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage. It also increases skin hydration by playing a role in creating molecules that create hyaluronic acid naturally.

When applying Glycolic Acid, it is normal to feel slight stinging. The pH value and concentration of glycolic acid play a role in the effectiveness of the product.

Recent studies have shown Glycolic Acid may protect the skin against UV damage. However, you should always wear SPF, especially when using exfoliants.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Glycolic Acid

CeraVe Acne Control Gel contains this as ingredient number 5.

Sunday Riley Glycolic Acid Treatment contains this as ingredient number 3.

4
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.

Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.

Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.

Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.

Learn more about Cetearyl Alcohol

CeraVe Acne Control Gel contains this as ingredient number 12.

Sunday Riley Glycolic Acid Treatment contains this as ingredient number 8.

5
What it does: Antimicrobial, Preservative
Community Rating: Disliked

Chlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.

Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.

Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.

Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.

Learn more about Chlorphenesin

CeraVe Acne Control Gel contains this as ingredient number 18.

Sunday Riley Glycolic Acid Treatment contains this as ingredient number 26.

6
What it does: Emollient, Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.

It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.

Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.

This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.

Learn more about Caprylyl Glycol

CeraVe Acne Control Gel contains this as ingredient number 21.

Sunday Riley Glycolic Acid Treatment contains this as ingredient number 25.

7
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.

Sunday Riley Glycolic Acid Treatment contains this as ingredient number 16.

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
23% are loved or liked
3% have mixed ratings
53% are disliked or very disliked
20% have no rating yet

Usage

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

When to use

Loading routine usage...
Loading routine usage...

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.

Sunday Riley Glycolic Acid Treatment 30 ingredients

3.0 /5
from 1 rating

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 32 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to CeraVe Acne Control Gel.

See 32 alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 11 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Sunday Riley Glycolic Acid Treatment.

See 11 alternatives
Loading similar comparisons...