Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Clean & Clear Essentials Foaming Oil-Free Facial Cleanser versus Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser .
Published on September 17, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both face cleansers. They have a total of 10 ingredients in common
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening skin
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens or silicones
What's Inside
They both contain fragrances and parabens
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
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
Clean & Clear Essentials Foaming Oil-Free Facial Cleanser 16 ingredients
Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser 22 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols ๐
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons ๐
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates ๐
Contains Parabens
Ingredients in this product that are types of parabens:
Oil Free
This product is free of oils ๐
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Not Reef Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not reef safe:
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens ๐
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan ๐ฅ
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free ๐ฅ
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols ๐
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons ๐
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Contains Sulfate
Ingredients in this product that are types of sulfate:
Contains Parabens
Ingredients in this product that are types of parabens:
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Not Reef Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not reef safe:
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens ๐
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan ๐ฅ
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free ๐ฅ
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Clean & Clear Essentials Foaming Oil-Free Facial Cleanser 16 ingredients
Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser 22 ingredients
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient 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 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:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient 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:
Concerns
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Clean & Clear Essentials Foaming Oil-Free Facial Cleanser 16 ingredients
Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser 22 ingredients
Water โข Triethanolamine โข Myristic Acid โข C9-15 Alkyl Phosphate โข Lauric Acid โข Glycerin โข Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose โข Cocamidopropyl Betaine โข Phenoxyethanol โข Parfum โข Methylparaben โข BHA โข Propylparaben โข Ethylparaben โข Curry Red โข Yellow 11
Water โข Cocamidopropyl Betaine โข Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids โข Sodium Laureth Sulfate โข Glycerin โข Aloe Barbadensis Leaf โข Glycereth-7 โข Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil โข Panthenol โข Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer โข Oleyl Lactate โข Ethoxydiglycol โข Triethanolamine โข Salvia Officinalis Extract โข Phenoxyethanol โข Methylparaben โข Propylparaben โข Ethylparaben โข Butylparaben โข Saponins โข Parfum โข Yellow 11
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 WaterClean & Clear Essentials Foaming Oil-Free Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 1.
Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 1.
Triethanolamine is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
Learn more about TriethanolamineClean & Clear Essentials Foaming Oil-Free Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 2.
Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 13.
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 GlycerinClean & Clear Essentials Foaming Oil-Free Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 6.
Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 5.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine. Dimethylaminopropylamine is a diamine, an amine with two amino groups.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineClean & Clear Essentials Foaming Oil-Free Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 8.
Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 2.
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.
Clean & Clear Essentials Foaming Oil-Free Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 9.
Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 16.
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "Parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'. The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumClean & Clear Essentials Foaming Oil-Free Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 10.
Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 22.
Methylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.
Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.
Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.
The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.
Learn more about MethylparabenClean & Clear Essentials Foaming Oil-Free Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 11.
Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 17.
Propylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben with antifungal and antimicrobial properties.
This ingredient can be naturally found in plants and insects, but most of it is synthetically manufactured for human use. In cosmetics, it is usually created by reacting para-aminobenzoic acid and propanol (an alcohol).
You can usually find this ingredient in water-based products.
Parabens have come under controversy due to the claim they are hormone disruptors. Studies show conflicting results. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Propylparaben is commonly found in food, medicine, and cosmetics.
Learn more about PropylparabenClean & Clear Essentials Foaming Oil-Free Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 13.
Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 18.
Ethylparaben is a preservative, is a paraben, and is not reef safe.
Clean & Clear Essentials Foaming Oil-Free Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 14.
Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 19.
We don't have a description for Yellow 11.
Clean & Clear Essentials Foaming Oil-Free Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 16.
Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 23.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Clean & Clear Essentials Foaming Oil-Free Facial Cleanser 16 ingredients
Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser 22 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Clean & Clear Essentials Foaming Oil-Free Facial Cleanser 16 ingredients
Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser 22 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Clean & Clear Essentials Foaming Oil-Free Facial Cleanser 16 ingredients
ShiBLue
Not for me!
2019 this is my first cleanser that I bought because it was cheap but after 1 months of using it, I have a lot of acne on my skin and...
Not for me!
2019 this is my first cleanser that I bought because it was cheap but after 1 months of using it, I have a lot of acne on my skin and this product didn't help, it only got worse. Many types of acne appear on my face, you name it my worst nightmare is an Acne Cyst, it really hurts to wash my face with this product.
๐ 0/10
Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser 22 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Clean & Clear Essentials Foaming Oil-Free Facial Cleanser.
See 50 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser.
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