Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum versus Skintific 5% AHA BHA PHA Exfoliating Toner .
Published on October 10, 2022
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe exfoliators. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain BHA and niacinamide
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots
Free From
They both do not contain any 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.
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
Ingredient Info
e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum 16 ingredients
Skintific 5% AHA BHA PHA Exfoliating Toner 30 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 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
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 🎉
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
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 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Non Vegan
This product is not 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 Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum 16 ingredients
Skintific 5% AHA BHA PHA Exfoliating Toner 30 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 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Benefits
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 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 Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum 16 ingredients
Skintific 5% AHA BHA PHA Exfoliating Toner 30 ingredients
Water • Butylene Glycol • Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate • Niacinamide • Propylene Glycol • Glycolic Acid • 1,2-Hexanediol • Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid • Lactic Acid • Salicylic Acid • Phenoxyethanol • Peg-60 Almond Glycerides • Caprylyl Glycol • Gentiana Scabra Root Extract • Glycerin • Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil • Sodium Lactate • O-Cymen-5-Ol • Ceramide AP • Ceramide NP • Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 • Ethylhexylglycerin • Ceramide Ns • Menthol • Hexyl Cinnamal • Citric Acid • Carbomer • T-Butyl Alcohol • Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid • Oleanolic Acid
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.
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 Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
Skintific 5% AHA BHA PHA Exfoliating Toner 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 Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
Skintific 5% AHA BHA PHA Exfoliating Toner contains this as ingredient number 4.
Butylene 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.
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.
e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.
Skintific 5% AHA BHA PHA Exfoliating Toner contains this as ingredient number 2.
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 Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.
Skintific 5% AHA BHA PHA Exfoliating Toner contains this as ingredient number 10.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum contains this as ingredient number 12.
Skintific 5% AHA BHA PHA Exfoliating Toner contains this as ingredient number 11.
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 Acide.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum contains this as ingredient number 15.
Skintific 5% AHA BHA PHA Exfoliating Toner contains this as ingredient number 26.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum contains this as ingredient number 16.
Skintific 5% AHA BHA PHA Exfoliating Toner contains this as ingredient number 22.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum 16 ingredients
Skintific 5% AHA BHA PHA Exfoliating Toner 30 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 Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum 16 ingredients
Skintific 5% AHA BHA PHA Exfoliating Toner 30 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 17 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to e.l.f. cosmetics Blemish Breakthrough Triple-Acid Resurfacing Serum.
See 17 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 41 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Skintific 5% AHA BHA PHA Exfoliating Toner.
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