Versus

Isntree Chestnut BHA 2% Clear Liquid Versus ACO Spotless Blemish Treating Daily Face Toner

Exfoliator
Toner
Korean Brand South Korea
Swedish Brand Sweden

Updated on July 11, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 3 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain BHA

Suited For

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

Free From

They both do not contain any 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 needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning

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
Buffering

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

When to use

483 Routines
16% use in am
84% use in pm
40% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
18 Routines
56% use in am
44% use in pm
100% use every day

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Isntree Chestnut BHA 2% Clear Liquid 21 ingredients

4.6 /5
from 12 ratings
Works Well (7) Great Value (6) Light (5)
BrittBrine's avatar

BrittBrine

1 year ago
Review

HG! This is my favorite chemical exfoliant I have ever used! I will use this forever!
It's a watery toner but the next morning my face looks so nice and feels so smooth. It has helped with acne and doesn't sting if using on healthy skin. It also doesn't dry out my skin if I leave it on for a while before putting other products on.

#great value
#hydrating
#light
#absorbs well
ChantelleAng's avatar

ChantelleAng

1 year ago
Review

GREAT exfoliator for ppl with sensitive skin. so gentle and is very effective. its so much better than paula's choice for me, so much more gentle highly recc!!!

#great value
#hydrating
#light
#absorbs well

ACO Spotless Blemish Treating Daily Face Toner 6 ingredients

Spotless Blemish Treating Daily Face Toner hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now