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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant Exfoliator versus Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel .

Last updated on March 25, 2024. Published on June 09, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe exfoliators. They have a total of 4 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain BHA and exfoliants

Suited For

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

Free From

They both do not contain any parabens or sulfates

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.

Exfoliator American Brand United States
Exfoliator American Brand United States

Exfoliator

Exfoliators are used to exfoliate the skin, or remove dead skin cells from the skin. Exfoliators may be chemical or physical.

Exfoliator

Exfoliators are used to exfoliate the skin, or remove dead skin cells from the skin. Exfoliators may be chemical or physical.

Price

Shop

Buy Daily Microfoliant Exfoliator

Starts at $54.99
Shop

Buy Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel

Starts at $153.00

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
Exfoliators

Benefits

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

Concerns

Drying
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

AHA (4)
BHA
Retinoid (2)
Vitamin C (2)
Vitamin E
Exfoliators

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin (4)
Redness Reducing (3)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture (8)
Reduces Large Pores (8)
Anti-Aging (8)
Dark Spots (6)
Scar Healing (10)
Acne Fighting (5)
Brightening (9)

Concerns

Drying (6)
May Worsen Oily Skin (3)
Irritating (10)
Rosacea (8)
Eczema (8)
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Alcohol Denat. • Glycolic Acid • Potassium Hydroxide • Hamamelis Virginiana Water • Salicylic Acid • Polysorbate 20 • Citric Acid • Lactic Acid • Malic Acid • Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract • Achillea Millefolium Extract • Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract • Soy Isoflavones • Copper PCA • Zinc PCA • Lecithin • Disodium EDTA • Alcohol • Polysorbate 80 • Parfum • Linalool • Benzyl Salicylate • Benzoic Acid • Phenoxyethanol • Sodium Benzoate • Water • Sodium Bicarbonate • Ascorbic Acid • Ascorbyl Palmitate • Retinyl Palmitate • Retinol • Tocopheryl Acetate • Resveratrol • Ubiquinone • Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate • Phospholipids • Sodium PCA • Dimethicone • Peg-30 Stearate • Octoxynol-9 • BHT • Tetrasodium EDTA • Sorbic Acid

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

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 12.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel contains this as ingredient number 5.

2
What it does: Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Astringent, Emollient, Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Tonic
Community Rating: Loved

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract is derived from the leaves of the tea plant. Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from this plant.

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract has many benefits. It contains polyphenols, a strong antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight off free-radical molecules that damage skin cells. The antioxidants in green tea neutralize free-radicals from the sun. This gives the skin some extra UV protection, but should not replace sunscreen.

Many components of tea have anti-inflammatory properties. Polyphenols and L-theanine help soothe the skin and reduce irritation. L-theanine is an amino acid that makes up most of the amino acids found in tea leaves. The caffeine in Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract helps calm inflamed blood vessels.

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract also contains Vitamin Bs, linoleic acid, magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc.

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract also has antimicrobial properties.

Research has shown both drinking Camellia Sinensis Leaf Tea and applying it to the skin can help boost skin elasticity and hydration. Studies also show using tea extract may reduce sebum, or oil, production.

Learn more about Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 14.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel contains this as ingredient number 10.

3
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

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 27.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel contains this as ingredient number 26.

4
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

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 29.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel contains this as ingredient number 7.

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

45% are loved or liked
3% have mixed ratings
21% are disliked or very disliked
31% have no rating yet
37% are loved or liked
7% have mixed ratings
51% are disliked or very disliked
5% 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

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant Exfoliator 29 ingredients

4.5 /5
from 6 reviews
MeaganClare's Avatar'
Apr 26, 2023

A great gentle exfoliant
This always removes any physical texture or dead skin build up that I have. I use it about two or three times a week, depending on my texture. I have very congested skin, and while this keeps my texture from...

A great gentle exfoliant
This always removes any physical texture or dead skin build up that I have. I use it about two or three times a week, depending on my texture. I have very congested skin, and while this keeps my texture from worsening, it doesn't do much for existing congestion or any acne issues that I have. I do love the product, and I really trust the brand, but it's a worthwhile detail when considering different exfoliators.

emmat's Avatar'
Jun 26, 2023

scrumptious
love this, best thing ive ever used, makes my face bright and clear and uncongested. I dont use it every night since it irritates me, if you have sensitive skin i wouldnt use this every night test a patch on your neck every...

scrumptious
love this, best thing ive ever used, makes my face bright and clear and uncongested. I dont use it every night since it irritates me, if you have sensitive skin i wouldnt use this every night test a patch on your neck every night to see if your skin can take it

AnnaSkin's Avatar'
Apr 8, 2024

Good gentle physical exfoliant, leaved skin very smooth, Here are some advises: not on irritated skin, maximum once a week or if needed, moisturize right after

Good gentle physical exfoliant, leaved skin very smooth, Here are some advises: not on irritated skin, maximum once a week or if needed, moisturize right after

Drying
Works Well

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel 43 ingredients

3.7 /5
from 3 reviews
Derma.Anne's Avatar'
Oct 17, 2023

These peel pads are the GOAT. They're almost like a chemical peel at a skin clinic, but safe for using at home. The give an instant glow and plump to the skin which I love, and keeps my hormonal acne and clogged pores at bay.

These peel pads are the GOAT. They're almost like a chemical peel at a skin clinic, but safe for using at home. The give an instant glow and plump to the skin which I love, and keeps my hormonal acne and clogged pores at bay.

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 4 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant Exfoliator.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 1 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel.

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