This acne serum is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Niacinamide to clear breakouts and balance excess oil.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Salicylic Acid 2%
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningPEG-32
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Pvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid
Antioxidant
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Zinc Acetate
AntimicrobialMahonia Aquifolium Root Extract
AstringentLavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Masking
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentSpiraea Ulmaria Extract
AstringentAesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCrithmum Maritimum Extract
Skin ConditioningYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Geranium Maculatum Oil
Masking
Zingiber Officinale Root Oil
Masking
Cymbopogon Martini Oil
Masking
Cymbopogon Nardus Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Camphor
Masking
10-Hydroxydecanoic Acid
Skin ConditioningSebacic Acid
BufferingCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning
1,10-Decanediol
SolventOleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Ammonium Glycyrrhizate
MaskingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-60 Almond Glycerides
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Salicylic Acid 2%, Water, PEG-32, Butylene Glycol, Pvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer, Niacinamide, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid, Zinc Gluconate, Zinc Acetate, Mahonia Aquifolium Root Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract, Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Yeast Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Geranium Maculatum Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Cymbopogon Nardus Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Biotin, Panthenol, Caffeine, Camphor, 10-Hydroxydecanoic Acid, Sebacic Acid, Ceramide AP, 1,10-Decanediol, Oleanolic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCoco-Betaine
Cleansing
PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Tetrasodium EDTA
ChelatingPolyquaternium-47
Skin ConditioningMenthol
Masking
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Citric Acid
Buffering
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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 WaterZinc gluconate has antibacterial and wound healing properties. It is particularly effective against fighting inflammatory acne.
This ingredient is the zinc salt of the PHA gluconic acid. PHAs are gentle cousins to AHAs.
