Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel Versus Dermalogica Acne Clearing Skin Wash
Updated on August 13, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and 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 brightening skin
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, parabens, silicones or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain common allergens, fragrances and oils
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
Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel 25 ingredients
Dermalogica Acne Clearing Skin Wash 56 ingredients
About this product
About this product
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel 25 ingredients
Dermalogica Acne Clearing Skin Wash 56 ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Citronellal
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPropanediol
SolventCitric Acid
Buffering
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
PPG-5-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citronellal, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Propanediol, Citric Acid, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Disodium EDTA, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate
Salicylic Acid 0.5%
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate
CleansingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Hydroxypropyl Bis-Hydroxyethyldimonium Chloride
HumectantPEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium PCA
HumectantPhytic Acid
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Fucus Vesiculosus Extract
Emollient
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientAllium Sativum Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin Conditioning
Passiflora Incarnata Extract
AstringentSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingCamphor
Masking
Menthol
Masking
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingSodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate
CleansingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningMelissa Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
SoothingCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAngelica Archangelica Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Echinacea Angustifolia Leaf Extract
MoisturisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningOcimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAnthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Maltodextrin
AbsorbentSilica
Abrasive
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Kaolin
Abrasive
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingSodium Chloride
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingBenzyl PCA
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Salicylic Acid 0.5%, Water, Glycerin, Sodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Hydroxypropyl Bis-Hydroxyethyldimonium Chloride, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Butylene Glycol, Sodium PCA, Phytic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Allium Sativum Bulb Extract, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Passiflora Incarnata Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Camphor, Menthol, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Polysorbate 80, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Melissa Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Angelica Archangelica Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Echinacea Angustifolia Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Maltodextrin, Silica, Palmitic Acid, Zinc PCA, Kaolin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Aminomethyl Propanol, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl PCA, Phenoxyethanol
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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
- It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
- It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
- It helps improve product application.
- It has mild preservative properties.
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
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 GlycerinCocamidopropyl 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 BetaineSodium 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 HydroxideIngredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
When to use
Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel 25 ingredients
Dermalogica Acne Clearing Skin Wash 56 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel 25 ingredients
Good cleanser, but I don’t recommend using twice a day. I have combination skin and using this twice a day made my skin dry as a bone. I wasn’t using anything else besides moisturizer at the time, so I’m 100% certain it was this product causing it. Cutting back to just once a day seems to have helped but still a little on the dry side.
Dermalogica Acne Clearing Skin Wash 56 ingredients
Love it!
It keeps my outbreaks under control.
Even though I have dehydrated skin, it does not strip my skin from its moisture.
This product is amazing!
