Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of CeraVe Blemish Control Gel Moisturiser with 2% Salicylic Acid & Niacinamide (UK Version) versus Neutrogena Clear & Defend+ Daily Serum .
Published on May 24, 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 AHA and BHA
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any common allergens, oils or parabens
What's Inside
They both contain fragrances
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
Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.
Serum
Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.
Price
Ingredient Info
CeraVe Blemish Control Gel Moisturiser with 2% Salicylic Acid & Niacinamide (UK Version) 24 ingredients
Neutrogena Clear & Defend+ Daily Serum 16 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:
Contains Sulfate
Ingredients in this product that are types of sulfate:
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 😥
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
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 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
CeraVe Blemish Control Gel Moisturiser with 2% Salicylic Acid & Niacinamide (UK Version) 24 ingredients
Neutrogena Clear & Defend+ Daily Serum 16 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Build your routine, track which ingredients work for you, and much more with your free account.
Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
CeraVe Blemish Control Gel Moisturiser with 2% Salicylic Acid & Niacinamide (UK Version) 24 ingredients
Neutrogena Clear & Defend+ Daily Serum 16 ingredients
Water • Glycerin • Sodium Hydroxide • Glycolic Acid • Lactic Acid • Salicylic Acid • Niacinamide • Ceramide NP • Ceramide AP • Ceramide EOP • Carbomer • Cetearyl Alcohol • Behentrimonium Methosulfate • Triethyl Citrate • Sodium Hyaluronate • Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate • Cholesterol • Chlorphenesin • Disodium EDTA • Hydroxypropyl Guar • Caprylyl Glycol • Xanthan Gum • Phytosphingosine • Benzoic Acid
Water • Propylene Glycol • Glycolic Acid • Dimethicone • Sodium Hydroxide • Mandelic Acid • Gluconolactone • Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate • Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer • Salicylic Acid • T-Butyl Alcohol • Dimethicone Crosspolymer • Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 • Polysorbate 60 • Sorbitan Isostearate • Disodium EDTA
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 WaterCeraVe Blemish Control Gel Moisturiser with 2% Salicylic Acid & Niacinamide (UK Version) contains this as ingredient number 1.
Neutrogena Clear & Defend+ Daily Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
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 HydroxideCeraVe Blemish Control Gel Moisturiser with 2% Salicylic Acid & Niacinamide (UK Version) contains this as ingredient number 3.
Neutrogena Clear & Defend+ Daily Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.
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 AcidCeraVe Blemish Control Gel Moisturiser with 2% Salicylic Acid & Niacinamide (UK Version) contains this as ingredient number 4.
Neutrogena Clear & Defend+ Daily Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.
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 AcidCeraVe Blemish Control Gel Moisturiser with 2% Salicylic Acid & Niacinamide (UK Version) contains this as ingredient number 6.
Neutrogena Clear & Defend+ Daily Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.
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 EDTACeraVe Blemish Control Gel Moisturiser with 2% Salicylic Acid & Niacinamide (UK Version) contains this as ingredient number 19.
Neutrogena Clear & Defend+ Daily Serum contains this as ingredient number 16.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
CeraVe Blemish Control Gel Moisturiser with 2% Salicylic Acid & Niacinamide (UK Version) 24 ingredients
Neutrogena Clear & Defend+ Daily Serum 16 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
CeraVe Blemish Control Gel Moisturiser with 2% Salicylic Acid & Niacinamide (UK Version) 24 ingredients
Neutrogena Clear & Defend+ Daily Serum 16 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
CeraVe Blemish Control Gel Moisturiser with 2% Salicylic Acid & Niacinamide (UK Version) 24 ingredients
Neutrogena Clear & Defend+ Daily Serum 16 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 33 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to CeraVe Blemish Control Gel Moisturiser with 2% Salicylic Acid & Niacinamide (UK Version).
See 33 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 22 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Neutrogena Clear & Defend+ Daily Serum.
See 22 alternatives