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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Hero Cosmetics Gentle Milky Cleanser versus Hero Cosmetics Exfoliating Jelly Cleanser .

Last updated on February 07, 2024. Published on December 31, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain exfoliants and PHA

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, sensitive skin and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, 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.

Face Cleanser American Brand United States
Face Cleanser American Brand United States

Face Cleanser

Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).

Face Cleanser

Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).

Price

Shop

Buy Gentle Milky Cleanser

Starts at $7.49
Shop

Buy Exfoliating Jelly Cleanser

Starts at $12.99

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

PHA
Exfoliators (3)
Ceramides (2)

Benefits

Hydrating (6)
Redness Reducing (3)
Reduces Irritation (2)
Skin Texture
Anti-Aging (3)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin
Acne Trigger (2)
Rosacea

Notable Ingredients

AHA (2)
PHA
Exfoliators
Hyaluronic Acid (5)

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin (2)
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture (3)
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging (3)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (4)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (4)

Concerns

Drying (2)
Acne Trigger
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (3)
Eczema
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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: 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

Hero Cosmetics Gentle Milky Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 1.

Hero Cosmetics Exfoliating Jelly Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Cleansing, Emulsion Stabilising
Community Rating: Mixed

Decyl Glucoside is a glucose-based surfactant. Surfactants help clean the skin by trapping oil, sebum, and dirt to be washed away.

It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.

Decyl Glucoside also helps stabilize the ingredients in a product by preventing them from separating.

This ingredient is biodegradable and non-toxic. This ingredient is commonly found in baby shampoos.

Decyl Glucoside is sometimes used to stabilize the UV filter Tinosorb.

Learn more about Decyl Glucoside

Hero Cosmetics Gentle Milky Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 6.

Hero Cosmetics Exfoliating Jelly Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Gluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs have a larger structure than AHAs and BHAs and are more gentle. It is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.

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 helps improve texture and brightens the skin.

Gluconolactone is a humectant and helps draw moisture to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.

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.

PHAs also exhibit antioxidant activity by neutralizing free-radical molecules. This can help with anti-aging.

In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells. However, we still recommend wearing SPF especially after using exfoliating ingredients.

Learn more about Gluconolactone

Hero Cosmetics Gentle Milky Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 7.

Hero Cosmetics Exfoliating Jelly Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 14.

4
What it does: Masking
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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

Hero Cosmetics Gentle Milky Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 17.

Hero Cosmetics Exfoliating Jelly Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 11.

5
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

Hero Cosmetics Gentle Milky Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 21.

Hero Cosmetics Exfoliating Jelly Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 10.

6
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

Hero Cosmetics Gentle Milky Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 34.

Hero Cosmetics Exfoliating Jelly Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 36.

7
What it does: Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

Xanthan 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

Hero Cosmetics Gentle Milky Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 36.

Hero Cosmetics Exfoliating Jelly Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 33.

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

43% are loved or liked
19% have mixed ratings
24% are disliked or very disliked
14% have no rating yet
53% are loved or liked
22% have mixed ratings
14% are disliked or very disliked
11% 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

Hero Cosmetics Gentle Milky Cleanser 37 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 rating
Clover's avatar

Clover

11 months ago · Dry Skin
Review

HOLY GRAIL for dry acne prone skin
From the first time I used this I knew I was going to give it 5 stars, but I forced myself to use it for a...

HOLY GRAIL for dry acne prone skin
From the first time I used this I knew I was going to give it 5 stars, but I forced myself to use it for a couple months first to really give it a fair review. Finding the perfect cleanser for dry acne prone skin had been a struggle. I wanted something that never irritated or dried out my skin, but I also wanted something with actives to help combat both my dry flakes and my acne. This is the perfect cleanser for my needs! With ingredients like oatmeal, jojoba, and ceramides, my skin feels soothed and never dry (I can even leave this cleanser on my skin for several minutes with zero irritation or dryness). The milky formula of this cleanser is non-foaming and gentle, which for me makes it enjoyable to massage into my skin. This also contains PHA as its active, which isn’t the strongest exfoliator out there but personally I find it’s best to keep my cleansing step gentle, and if desired I can incorporate a stronger active later in my routine. I don’t have particularly sensitive skin, so I can’t say whether or not it will irritate someone whose skin is sensitive, but for other dry acne prone folks out there like me, I highly recommend giving this cleanser a try.

Hero Cosmetics Exfoliating Jelly Cleanser 36 ingredients

3.5 /5
from 2 ratings
Broke Me Out (1) Pilling (1)
JulietSiebert_211's avatar

JulietSiebert_211

11 months ago · Dry Skin
Review

This makes my skin smooth and not stripped

ORI's avatar

ORI

3 months ago · Sensitive Skin
Review

Might work for someone with a different skin type than me. Didnt notice much exfoliating personally compared to others.

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