Clarins Pure Reset Resurfacing Blemish Serum Versus Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator
This acne serum is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and refine skin texture.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Propanediol
Solvent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Glycolate
BufferingZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Bidens Pilosa Extract
HumectantCichorium Intybus Leaf Extract
MaskingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingMalus Domestica Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingWater, Alcohol, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Salicylic Acid, Propylene Glycol, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Parfum, Sodium Glycolate, Zinc Gluconate, Bidens Pilosa Extract, Cichorium Intybus Leaf Extract, Hexylene Glycol, Malus Domestica Fruit Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Chloride
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Trisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Saccharomyces Lysate Extract
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingSilybum Marianum Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides
Emollient
Sorbitol
Humectant
Sodium Polyaspartate
HumectantCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Thermus Thermophillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sucrose
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Oleth-10
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tromethamine
BufferingGlyceryl Polymethacrylate
Disodium EDTA
PEG-8
HumectantHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Trisiloxane, Trehalose, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Silybum Marianum Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides, Sorbitol, Sodium Polyaspartate, Caffeine, Thermus Thermophillus Ferment, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Caprylyl Glycol, Sucrose, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Oleth-10, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Saccharide Isomerate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Disodium EDTA, PEG-8, Hexylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, BHT, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, CI 14700, CI 19140
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolWater. 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 Water
