This salicylic acid gel cleanser is formulated around Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and unclog pores.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Betaine
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycerin
HumectantLactic Acid
BufferingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingSalicylic Acid
MaskingDisodium Cocoyl Glutamate
CleansingLaureth-4
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethyl Citrate
MaskingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCholesterol
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Citric Acid
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBenzoic Acid
MaskingWater, Coco-Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Lactic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, PEG-150 Distearate, Salicylic Acid, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Laureth-4, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Panthenol, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Benzoic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantMyristic Acid
CleansingLauric Acid
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingButylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
SurfactantLauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingGlycol Distearate
EmollientPolyquaternium-7
Oryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentGlycol Stearate
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Cocoate
EmulsifyingSodium PCA
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingSphingolipids
EmollientSodium Chloride
MaskingPolyquaternium-67
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentDisodium EDTA
Ceramide NP
Skin ConditioningFructooligosaccharides
HumectantSodium Benzoate
MaskingViola Odorata Flower/Leaf Extract
MaskingBarosma Betulina Leaf Extract
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Glycol Distearate, Polyquaternium-7, Oryza Sativa Extract, Glycol Stearate, Palmitic Acid, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract, Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Potassium Cocoate, Sodium PCA, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Stearic Acid, Sphingolipids, Sodium Chloride, Polyquaternium-67, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Disodium EDTA, Ceramide NP, Fructooligosaccharides, Sodium Benzoate, Viola Odorata Flower/Leaf Extract, Barosma Betulina Leaf Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ceramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinPotassium Hydroxide (also known as potash) is a strong alkaline ingredient that does one job: it nudges a product's pH up so the whole formula lands in a skin-friendly range.
It's also the base that turns oils into liquid soap during the soap making process.
An expert safety panel reviewed it and found it safe when formulations are made to be non-irritating.
As a pH adjuster, it's typically used well under 1% though regulatory caps go much higher: 5% in nail cuticle removers and 2-4.5% in hair straighteners.
Though there is some concern for irritation from raw or high pH material, a well-balanced formula will be a non-issue for the vast majority of people.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterXanthan 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