Versus

Farmacy Clearly Clean Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm Versus Youth To The People Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser

Makeup Remover
Face Cleanser
American Brand United States
American Brand United States

Updated on August 08, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe . They have a total of 5 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain PHA

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, reducing pores, scar healing and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, parabens, silicones or sulfates

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

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
Clearly Clean Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm
Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning

Gluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.

When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.

PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.

Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:

In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.

This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.

Learn more about Gluconolactone
Masking

Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt.

This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.

You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.

There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.

The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.

Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.

Learn more about Sodium Chloride
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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 Water
Masking, Preservative

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

Learn more about Sodium Benzoate
Absorbent, Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning

Maltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.

In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.

As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.

Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.

Learn more about Maltodextrin

When to use

92 Routines
10% use in am
90% use in pm
90% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
2,084 Routines
48% use in am
52% use in pm
97% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Farmacy Clearly Clean Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm 26 ingredients

4.0 /5
from 3 ratings
Aquila's avatar

Aquila

3 years ago
Review

Farmacy's most gentle product
I first used its big sister, Green Clean, and loved it. However, Clearly Clean is superior for those with super sensitive, reactive skin. This gently cleanses, exfoliates, and removes all types of makeup just like Green Clean, but is safe for even the most sensitive skin. I have zero irritation from this product, and it doesn't leave my skin stinging and red like so Show more

kassia's avatar

Kassia

4 months ago
Review

Very meh. I do find it takes off makeup fine, but not any better than any other generic balm or oil, and not without using a considerable amount of product. I really don’t like its consistency and feel like it kind of sits on the skin, for which reason I don’t like using it for double cleansing either.

Youth To The People Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser 35 ingredients

3.3 /5
from 24 ratings
Drying (6) Expensive (5) Light Scent (4)
sarape's avatar

Sara

1 year ago
Review

Pricey, but great for oily skin, and I don't think it's stripping at all (although, dry skin people may disagree). It provides a very deep cleansing, but your face won't feel super dry right after as it happens with other cleansers for oily skin that contain harsh ingredients like mint. Plus, it smells very refreshing, like freshly cut grass. It shocks me that despite the brand's philosophy, they Show more

#expensive
#light
#strong scent
#works well
Ninamujer's avatar

Nina

1 year ago
Review

Like it
This cleanser smells nice and does its job. The only downside is the price tag.