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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser versus Biretix Purifying Active Cleansing Gel .

Last updated on August 04, 2023. Published on August 20, 2022

Overview

What they are

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

Cool Features

They both contain PHA

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, sensitive skin and better texture

Free From

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

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.

Face Cleanser Canadian Brand Canada
Face Cleanser Spanish Brand Spain

Face Cleanser

Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).

Face Cleanser

Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).

Price

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
ph level
5.5
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

BHA
PHA
Niacinamide
Ceramides (3)
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

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

Concerns

Drying (2)
Acne Trigger
Irritating
Rosacea (2)
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

PHA
Peptides

Benefits

Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture
Anti-Aging
Acne Fighting

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin
Rosacea
Eczema (3)
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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

CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 1.

Biretix Purifying Active Cleansing Gel contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Gluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs have a larger structure than AHAs and BHAs and are more gentle. It is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.

When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This helps improve texture and brightens the skin.

Gluconolactone is a humectant and helps draw moisture to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.

PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.

PHAs also exhibit antioxidant activity by neutralizing free-radical molecules. This can help with anti-aging.

In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells. However, we still recommend wearing SPF especially after using exfoliating ingredients.

Learn more about Gluconolactone

CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 6.

Biretix Purifying Active Cleansing Gel contains this as ingredient number 19.

3
What it does: Emulsifying
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Peg-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate isn't fungal acne safe.

CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 7.

Biretix Purifying Active Cleansing Gel contains this as ingredient number 18.

4
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning

We don't have a description for Calcium Gluconate.

CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 14.

Biretix Purifying Active Cleansing Gel contains this as ingredient number 24.

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

Sodium 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.

Sodium Benzoate 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 Benzoate

CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 17.

Biretix Purifying Active Cleansing Gel contains this as ingredient number 22.

6
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.

CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 21.

Biretix Purifying Active Cleansing Gel contains this as ingredient number 28.

7
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 Renewing SA Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 22.

Biretix Purifying Active Cleansing Gel contains this as ingredient number 20.

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

44% are loved or liked
4% have mixed ratings
44% are disliked or very disliked
7% have no rating yet
25% are loved or liked
7% have mixed ratings
50% are disliked or very disliked
18% 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 Renewing SA Cleanser 27 ingredients

3.2 /5
from 24 ratings
Drying (3) Works Well (2) Great Value (2) Irritating (2) Broke Me Out (1) Light (1)
AshN.'s avatar

AshN.

4 months ago · Dry Skin
Review

(Using Since 2020) Similar to the other CeraVe cleanser it hasn't let me down. I took off one star just because I feel that this isn't really ideal...

(Using Since 2020) Similar to the other CeraVe cleanser it hasn't let me down. I took off one star just because I feel that this isn't really ideal for every day use, especially if you have dry, sensitive skin (despite it being advertised as gentle). It's fairly stripping due to all the actives in it, so I found it to be a bit irritating to me. But once I stopped using it everyday and switched to only using it every other evening, the irritation stopped all together and actually helped with my occasional comedonal acne.

CarlaTriegaardt's avatar

CarlaTriegaardt

1 year ago · Combination Skin
Review

Think twice befor using on dry/combination skin
I was super excited to start using this product because of all of the benefits but found it to be...

Think twice befor using on dry/combination skin
I was super excited to start using this product because of all of the benefits but found it to be slightly drying and irritating to my skin.

Biretix Purifying Active Cleansing Gel 28 ingredients

Purifying Active Cleansing Gel hasn't been rated yet.
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