Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Calming Water Cream versus FaceTheory Supergel Oil-free Moisturiser M3 .
Last updated on January 05, 2024. Published on January 31, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe general moisturizers. They have a total of 5 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain BHA and niacinamide
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, parabens, silicones or sulfates
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
General Moisturizer
All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.
General Moisturizer
All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.
Price
Ingredient Info
e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Calming Water Cream 28 ingredients
FaceTheory Supergel Oil-free Moisturiser M3 17 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Calming Water Cream 28 ingredients
FaceTheory Supergel Oil-free Moisturiser M3 17 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Calming Water Cream 28 ingredients
FaceTheory Supergel Oil-free Moisturiser M3 17 ingredients
Salicylic Acid 1% • Water • Niacinamide • Glycerin • Silica • Propanediol • Isododecane • Tranexamic Acid • Glyceryl Stearate Citrate • C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate • Acetyl Glucosamine • Tromethamine • Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate • Phenoxyethanol • Cetearyl Alcohol • Capryloyl Glycine • Potassium Cetyl Phosphate • Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer • Allantoin • Xanthan Gum • Caprylyl Glycol • Ethylhexylglycerin • Tocopherol • Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil • Disodium EDTA • Caprylic Acid • CI 77288 • CI 77492
Water • Propanediol • Glycerin • Niacinamide • Gellan Gum • Sodium Anisate • Sodium Levulinate • Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate • Salicylic Acid • Lactic Acid • Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice • Sodium Phytate • Sodium Hyaluronate • Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract • Citric Acid • Potassium Sorbate
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 Acide.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Calming Water Cream contains this as ingredient number 1.
FaceTheory Supergel Oil-free Moisturiser M3 contains this as ingredient number 9.
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 Watere.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Calming Water Cream contains this as ingredient number 2.
FaceTheory Supergel Oil-free Moisturiser M3 contains this as ingredient number 1.
Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.
It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.
Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.
The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.
Learn more about Niacinamidee.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Calming Water Cream contains this as ingredient number 3.
FaceTheory Supergel Oil-free Moisturiser M3 contains this as ingredient number 4.
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 Glycerine.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Calming Water Cream contains this as ingredient number 4.
FaceTheory Supergel Oil-free Moisturiser M3 contains this as ingredient number 3.
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use.
It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about Propanediole.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Calming Water Cream contains this as ingredient number 6.
FaceTheory Supergel Oil-free Moisturiser M3 contains this as ingredient number 2.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Calming Water Cream 28 ingredients
FaceTheory Supergel Oil-free Moisturiser M3 17 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Calming Water Cream 28 ingredients
FaceTheory Supergel Oil-free Moisturiser M3 17 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Acne Calming Water Cream 28 ingredients
FaceTheory Supergel Oil-free Moisturiser M3 17 ingredients
ReileyKirwan_763
Oily/Combination/CysticAcne/Malassezia
Pros: Hydrating and malassezia safe.
Cons: Goes on lightweight, but causes intense shine/oil for the rest...
Oily/Combination/CysticAcne/Malassezia
Pros: Hydrating and malassezia safe.
Cons: Goes on lightweight, but causes intense shine/oil for the rest of the day (even through makeup). Also, does not have any soothing benefits for redness, irritation, or flaking from acne.
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