Versus

COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser Versus Cetaphil Gentle Foaming Cleanser

Face Cleanser
Face Cleanser
Korean Brand South Korea
American Brand United States

Updated on July 19, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 5 ingredients in common

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin and sensitive skin

Free From

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

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.

This ingredient 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 Betaine
Emulsifying

Polysorbate 20 is made by combining ethoxylation of sorbitan, ethylene oxide, and lauric acid. It is a mild cleansing agent, surfactant, and emulsifier.

As a surfactant, it helps collect dirt and oils for washing. Emulsifiers prevent oils and water from separating.

Polysorbate 20 also adds scent to a product. Since it is made using sorbitol, it has a sweet scent. Sorbitol can also be found in fruits such as apples and peaches.

The lauric acid used to create Polysorbate 20 is often derived from coconuts.

Polysorbate 20 may not be fungal acne safe.

Learn more about Polysorbate 20
Buffering, Masking

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

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 even out skin tone.

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.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid
Masking, Preservative

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.

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 Benzoate

When to use

5,016 Routines
55% use in am
44% use in pm
97% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
281 Routines
48% use in am
52% use in pm
99% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser 25 ingredients

3.1 /5
from 83 ratings
Drying (21) Great Value (16) Light Scent (14)
Roseblushbliss's avatar

Roseblushbliss

1 year ago
Review

You will find better things out there.

This wasn’t completely destructive to my skin back in my late teens (dehydrated oily-combo skin with hormonal acne I assume) but there’s a reason why I only aimed to finish my tube of this. Doesn’t cleanse very deeply so I felt I needed to use more product (I was oily, sweaty, and in a very place with very polluted air), and tends to leave me more dry Show more

#drying
#broke me out
#irritating
#strong scent
katrina1's avatar

katrina1

1 year ago
Review

works great on my oily skin, cleanses while not being stripping, so it doesn’t leave my skin feeling tight. 10/10 :)

#great value
#strong scent

Cetaphil Gentle Foaming Cleanser 12 ingredients

2.8 /5
from 5 ratings
Doesn't Work (1) Drying (1) Irritating (1)
ZephyrRose_888's avatar

ZephyrRose_888

2 years ago
Review

drying
this stuff makes me feel like my face has never touched moisturizer in years. dryer than the sahara desert. if it actually gets my skin clean i have no idea, but if it does it is surely not worth the tightness and dryness

cgi's avatar

cgi

1 year ago
Review

It’s okay
This cleanser isn’t too bad, it’s very gentle. But don’t leave it on for too long if you’re one of those people who like letting your cleansers sit on your face to let it work, because it actually starts tingling and burning for some reason and leave your skin red and feeling irritated. I do love the foam that comes right out of the bottle, it’s very soft and light-weight and is very Show more