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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Clearasil Stubborn Acne Control - 5in1 Daily Pads versus Stridex Max Strength Acne Pads .

Last updated on April 01, 2024. Published on November 04, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both fungal acne (malassezia) safe and reef safe facial treatments. They have a total of 5 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain BHA

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores and scar healing

Free From

They both do not contain any oils or parabens

What's Inside

They both contain common allergens and 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 American Brand United States

Facial Treatment

Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.

Facial Treatment

Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.

Price

Shop

Buy Stubborn Acne Control - 5in1 Daily Pads

Starts at $7.99
Shop

Buy Max Strength Acne Pads

Starts at $4.47

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
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

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation (2)
Reduces Large Pores
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (4)
Rosacea (4)
Eczema (3)

Notable Ingredients

AHA
BHA

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying (2)
Irritating (5)
Rosacea (4)
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: Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

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 Acid

Clearasil Stubborn Acne Control - 5in1 Daily Pads contains this as ingredient number 1.

Stridex Max Strength Acne Pads contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
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

Clearasil Stubborn Acne Control - 5in1 Daily Pads contains this as ingredient number 2.

Stridex Max Strength Acne Pads contains this as ingredient number 9.

3
What it does: Masking, Perfuming
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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 Parfum

Clearasil Stubborn Acne Control - 5in1 Daily Pads contains this as ingredient number 9.

Stridex Max Strength Acne Pads contains this as ingredient number 6.

4
What it does: Masking, Refreshing
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Menthol is a compound found in mint plants, such as peppermint. In its pure form, it is a clear crystalline substance.

Menthol is known for its cooling sensation; however, the cooling is actually from your skin being sensitized. Menthol can worsen rosacea. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.

Menthol also has antimicrobial properties.

Learn more about Menthol

Clearasil Stubborn Acne Control - 5in1 Daily Pads contains this as ingredient number 10.

Stridex Max Strength Acne Pads contains this as ingredient number 7.

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

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

Clearasil Stubborn Acne Control - 5in1 Daily Pads contains this as ingredient number 14.

Stridex Max Strength Acne Pads contains this as ingredient number 4.

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

29% are loved or liked
7% have mixed ratings
64% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet
17% are loved or liked
0% have mixed ratings
50% are disliked or very disliked
33% 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

Clearasil Stubborn Acne Control - 5in1 Daily Pads 14 ingredients

Stubborn Acne Control - 5in1 Daily Pads hasn't been rated yet.
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Stridex Max Strength Acne Pads 12 ingredients

4.5 /5
from 2 reviews
DamDamfino's Avatar'
Feb 9, 2024

I've never had an issue with this product being too harsh.
It's not even that drying (you can sometimes feel like a "film" dry down on your skin if you put on too much, but it's not the skin that's drying out.)

I don't understand...

I've never had an issue with this product being too harsh.
It's not even that drying (you can sometimes feel like a "film" dry down on your skin if you put on too much, but it's not the skin that's drying out.)

I don't understand the hype of PC 2% BHA when stridex is not only
- much cheaper
- much easier to find and get your hands on (it's at every dollar store!)
- comes already on pads for each use

People say it's harsh and drying, but there's no menthol (in the red box version), and there's no alcohol.
And I never feel tingly or burning. Maybe I've just grown a tolerance for it?

Anywho, I use this everyday - and I don't only use it on my face, either.

Great Value
No Scent
Works Well

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 36 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Clearasil Stubborn Acne Control - 5in1 Daily Pads.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 2 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Stridex Max Strength Acne Pads.

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