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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Geek & Gorgeous Cheer Up 6% Mandelic + BHA Liquid versus Geek & Gorgeous Calm Down .

Last updated on September 25, 2023. Published on December 26, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free, fungal acne (malassezia) safe, and reef safe exfoliators. They have a total of 5 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain BHA

Suited For

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

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, 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 Hungarian Brand Hungary
Exfoliator Hungarian Brand Hungary

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

Shop

Buy Cheer Up 6% Mandelic + BHA Liquid

Shop

Buy Calm Down

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

AHA
BHA

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
Irritating (2)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

BHA
PHA (2)

Benefits

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

Concerns

Drying
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema
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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: 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

Geek & Gorgeous Cheer Up 6% Mandelic + BHA Liquid contains this as ingredient number 1.

Geek & Gorgeous Calm Down contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Solvent
Community Rating: Liked

Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use.

It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Learn more about Propanediol

Geek & Gorgeous Cheer Up 6% Mandelic + BHA Liquid contains this as ingredient number 2.

Geek & Gorgeous Calm Down contains this as ingredient number 5.

3
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

Geek & Gorgeous Cheer Up 6% Mandelic + BHA Liquid contains this as ingredient number 4.

Geek & Gorgeous Calm Down contains this as ingredient number 6.

4
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

Geek & Gorgeous Cheer Up 6% Mandelic + BHA Liquid contains this as ingredient number 13.

Geek & Gorgeous Calm Down contains this as ingredient number 13.

5
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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.

Geek & Gorgeous Cheer Up 6% Mandelic + BHA Liquid contains this as ingredient number 14.

Geek & Gorgeous Calm Down contains this as ingredient number 14.

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

64% are loved or liked
21% have mixed ratings
14% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet
57% are loved or liked
21% have mixed ratings
7% are disliked or very disliked
14% have no rating yet

Usage

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

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Geek & Gorgeous Cheer Up 6% Mandelic + BHA Liquid 14 ingredients

3.0 /5
from 2 ratings
Absorbs Well (1) Irritating (1) Light (1) Light Scent (1)
sword's avatar

sword

3 months ago · Oily Skin
Review

This is definitely effective as an exfoliator, but I feel like this is too strong for me. It did noticeably shrink my pores but it also stung my...

This is definitely effective as an exfoliator, but I feel like this is too strong for me. It did noticeably shrink my pores but it also stung my skin and caused irritation. I would only suggest this to people with skin that can withstand strong exfoliators.

Geek & Gorgeous Calm Down 14 ingredients

Calm Down hasn't been rated yet.
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Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 39 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Geek & Gorgeous Cheer Up 6% Mandelic + BHA Liquid.

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