Versus

Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Low-Ph Cleansing Foam Versus COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser

Face Cleanser
Face Cleanser
Korean Brand South Korea
Korean Brand South Korea

Updated on June 19, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 10 ingredients in common

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin and scar healing

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 needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

What's inside (and what isn't)

What's inside (and what isn't)

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
Hyaluronic Acid Low-Ph Cleansing Foam

Water

Skin Conditioning

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate

Cleansing

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate

Cleansing
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glycol Distearate

Emollient
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Potassium Cocoate

Emulsifying
Can worsen Dry Skin Icon

Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate

Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside

Cleansing

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Hyaluronic Acid

Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid Icon

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Potassium Hyaluronate

Skin Conditioning

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract

Skin Conditioning

Laminaria Japonica Extract

Skin Protecting
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Centella Asiatica Extract

Cleansing
Helps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Ficus Carica Fruit Extract

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

1,2-Hexanediol

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Glycine

Buffering
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Serine

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Glutamic Acid

Humectant
Helps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Aspartic Acid

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Leucine

Skin Conditioning

Alanine

Masking

Arginine

Masking
Good for Scar Healing IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Lysine

Skin Conditioning

Isoleucine

Skin Conditioning

Phenylalanine

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Proline

Skin Conditioning

Threonine

Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Tyrosine

Masking

Valine

Masking

Histidine

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Cysteine

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Methionine

Skin Conditioning

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Humectant
Helps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Beta-Glucan

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Panthenol

Skin Conditioning
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Ceramide NP

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Emulsifying
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Fructooligosaccharides

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Allantoin

Skin Conditioning
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Oryza Sativa Bran Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Pentylene Glycol

Skin Conditioning

Sodium Chloride

Masking
Can worsen Dry Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Hydroxyacetophenone

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Citric Acid

Buffering
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Disodium EDTA

Polyquaternium-39

Decylene Glycol

Skin Conditioning

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

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
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin
Cleansing, Foaming

This gentle cleansing and foaming ingredient is known for leaving a smooth feeling in skin and hair. It is made using coconut oil.

According to the manufacturer, it is soluble in water and has resistance to hard water, acid, and alkali.

Due to its coconut base, it may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.

Learn more about Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Emollient, Emulsifying, Skin Conditioning

Glycol Distearate serves as a pearlizing or opacifying agent in cosmetic products.

It's often included in cleansers and haircare products to give them a lustrous or shimmering appearance.

It is derived from stearic acid, a natural fatty acid commonly found in vegetable oils and animal fats.

Glycol Distearate isn't fungal acne safe.

Learn more about Glycol Distearate
Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Learn more about Butylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse. 

It is a:

  • Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
  • Emollient, helping to soften skin
  • Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
  • Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives 
Masking

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
Buffering, Masking

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and even out skin tone.

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA
Skin Conditioning

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.

When to use

146 Routines
41% use in am
59% use in pm
98% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
2,108 Routines
41% use in am
59% use in pm
92% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Low-Ph Cleansing Foam 57 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 rating
Hydrating (1) No Scent (1) Works Well (1)
verenski's avatar

verenski

8 months ago
Review

LOVE IT

#hydrating
#no scent
#works well

COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser 23 ingredients

2.7 /5
from 36 ratings
Drying (19) Great Value (8) Works Well (7)
skinogre's avatar

skinogre

1 year ago
Review

I used to think it was good because of how it really goes DEEP into cleaning your skin, it feels like it’s been scraped out. It’s good if you haven’t washed your face in a week, other than that it’s really bad. And that’s coming from someone who has oily skin and uses Paula’s choice BHA every other day. There are so many better cleansing products than this, I highly advise getting a medium level Show more

#drying
#strong scent
brinny's avatar

Bree

8 months ago
Review

Cons: Hadn't realized how much this has been stripping my face of... everything until recent. Not bad at all. In fact, it's one of the best cleansers I've used in a while. But it's probably not something I need to use daily.

Pros: This does a really great job of cleaning the face. Don't think it exfoliates in any way, but my face, at least, would feel taut.

Will I buy this again? Maybe. It Show more

#great value
#drying
#strong scent
#works well