First Aid Beauty Brighten + Glow Facial Radiance Pads With Glycolic + Lactic Acids Versus COSRX One Step Original Clear Pad
This smoothing exfoliating pad uses a pre-saturated pad with Lactic Acid and Glycolic Acid to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin.
This acne toner pad uses a pre-saturated pad with Salix Alba Bark Water and Betaine Salicylate to clear breakouts and balance excess oil.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
HumectantCitrus Limon Peel Extract
EmollientCitrus Nobilis Fruit Extract
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Water, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Citrus Nobilis Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinSodium 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
