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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of First Aid Beauty FAB Pharma White Clay Acne Treatment Pads 2% Salicylic Acid versus Balance Me BHA Exfoliating Concentrate .

Last updated on February 12, 2024. Published on April 16, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe exfoliators. They have a total of 8 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain BHA

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores and scar healing

Free From

They both do not contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain fragrances and oils

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Exfoliator American Brand United States
Exfoliator British Brand United Kingdom

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

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Buy FAB Pharma White Clay Acne Treatment Pads 2% Salicylic Acid

Starts at $30.00
Shop

Buy BHA Exfoliating Concentrate

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

BHA
Exfoliators

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin (3)
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting (3)
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

BHA
Vitamin E

Benefits

Hydrating (3)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (4)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (3)
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

1
What it does: Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

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 Acid

First Aid Beauty FAB Pharma White Clay Acne Treatment Pads 2% Salicylic Acid contains this as ingredient number 1.

Balance Me BHA Exfoliating Concentrate contains this as ingredient number 4.

2
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

First Aid Beauty FAB Pharma White Clay Acne Treatment Pads 2% Salicylic Acid contains this as ingredient number 2.

Balance Me BHA Exfoliating Concentrate contains this as ingredient number 1.

3
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Mixed

Sodium 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 Hydroxide

First Aid Beauty FAB Pharma White Clay Acne Treatment Pads 2% Salicylic Acid contains this as ingredient number 5.

Balance Me BHA Exfoliating Concentrate contains this as ingredient number 18.

4
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Glycerin

First Aid Beauty FAB Pharma White Clay Acne Treatment Pads 2% Salicylic Acid contains this as ingredient number 6.

Balance Me BHA Exfoliating Concentrate contains this as ingredient number 3.

5
What it does: Skin Protecting
Community Rating: Liked

We don't have a description for Salix Nigra Bark Extract.

First Aid Beauty FAB Pharma White Clay Acne Treatment Pads 2% Salicylic Acid contains this as ingredient number 9.

Balance Me BHA Exfoliating Concentrate contains this as ingredient number 5.

6
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Disliked

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

Potassium sorbate is potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

Potassium sorbate is often used with stronger preservatives.

Learn more about Potassium Sorbate

First Aid Beauty FAB Pharma White Clay Acne Treatment Pads 2% Salicylic Acid contains this as ingredient number 12.

Balance Me BHA Exfoliating Concentrate contains this as ingredient number 16.

7
What it does: Masking, Preservative
Community Rating: Disliked

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.

Sodium Benzoate 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

First Aid Beauty FAB Pharma White Clay Acne Treatment Pads 2% Salicylic Acid contains this as ingredient number 13.

Balance Me BHA Exfoliating Concentrate contains this as ingredient number 17.

8
What it does: Perfuming, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.

It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".

Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.

When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.

The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.

Learn more about Limonene

First Aid Beauty FAB Pharma White Clay Acne Treatment Pads 2% Salicylic Acid contains this as ingredient number 26.

Balance Me BHA Exfoliating Concentrate contains this as ingredient number 22.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

37% are loved or liked
19% have mixed ratings
30% are disliked or very disliked
15% have no rating yet
33% are loved or liked
4% have mixed ratings
37% are disliked or very disliked
26% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

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Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 28 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to First Aid Beauty FAB Pharma White Clay Acne Treatment Pads 2% Salicylic Acid.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 1 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Balance Me BHA Exfoliating Concentrate.

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