Garnier Pure Active Tea Tree + Salicylic Acid Sheet Mask Versus Garnier Pure Charcoal Black Sheet Mask
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingBenzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Glyceryl Isostearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hexyldecanol
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Limonene
Perfuming
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Benzyl Salicylate, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Glyceryl Isostearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hexyldecanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Limonene, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Myristic Acid, Octyldodecanol, Palmitic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Stearic Acid, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingP-Anisic Acid
Masking
Papain
Skin ConditioningPEG-32
HumectantPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Propanediol
Solvent
Pvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSaccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Water, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Alcohol, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Biotin, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydroxyethylcellulose, P-Anisic Acid, Papain, PEG-32, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate, Propanediol, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid comes from salicylic acid, the famous acne-fighting BHA.
It usually goes by a more common name of LHA, or lipohydroxy acid.
Like salicylic acid, this ingredient is a chemical exfoliant that can help break down the oil in your pores and reduce inflammation.
Though studies for LHA do show it to be less effective than salicylic acid. To be fair, salicylic acid is the reigning monarch of acne treatments.
However, a study from 2009 found LHA to be comparable to BPO, making it a good alternative for people with sensitive skin. Another study of 14 patients found a significant decrease in comedones after using LHA.
Another pro of LHA? It is less irritating than salicylic acid due to its large molecule size.
Large molecules cannot penetrate skin as well, so they are gentler on the skin. LHA is much less penetrative than salicylic acid.
An in-vitro study (not done on a living organism) found only 6% of LHA penetrated past the statum corneum compared to 58% of salicylic acid. An in-vivo (done on a living organism) analysis revealed ~17% of LHA was still present in the top layer of skin after 4 days, versus ~9% of salicylic acid.
Interestingly, a study from 2008 found LHA comparable to another famous acid, glycolic acid.
This study found about 10% of LHA is as effective as 20-50% of glycolic acid in treating hyperpigmentation and fine-lines.
Hydroxy acids have been found to stimulate skin protein, lipids, and thermal thickening. This may have anti-aging benefits.
Learn more about Capryloyl Salicylic AcidCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or '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 by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPotassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
