IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Breakout Salicylic Acid Acne Serum Versus alpyn beauty Pore Perfecting Liquid with 2% BHA + Borage
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe facial treatments. They have a total of 10 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain AHA, BHA, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any 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
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Breakout Salicylic Acid Acne Serum 16 ingredients
alpyn beauty Pore Perfecting Liquid with 2% BHA + Borage 41 ingredients
About this product
About this product
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Breakout Salicylic Acid Acne Serum 16 ingredients
alpyn beauty Pore Perfecting Liquid with 2% BHA + Borage 41 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Alteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventSalicylic Acid
Masking
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingBorago Officinalis Extract
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Phytic Acid
Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
AbsorbentSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Phyllostachys Bambusoides Extract
Skin ConditioningSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Davidiana Extract
Antioxidant
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion StabilisingHamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Medicago Sativa Extract
TonicAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Collagen
Moisturising
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Propanediol, Salicylic Acid, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Borago Officinalis Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Benzyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Ascorbic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Phytic Acid, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Maltodextrin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Phyllostachys Bambusoides Extract, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Prunus Davidiana Extract, Beta-Sitosterol, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Medicago Sativa Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Centella Asiatica Extract, Collagen, Sorbic Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Citric Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 WaterGlycerin 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 GlycerinNiacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.
It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.
Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.
The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.
Learn more about NiacinamideSodium 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 HydroxideSalicylic 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 AcidAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceSodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateCitric 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 AcidPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateIngredient Ratings
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When to use
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Breakout Salicylic Acid Acne Serum 16 ingredients
alpyn beauty Pore Perfecting Liquid with 2% BHA + Borage 41 ingredients
