Kate Somerville ExfoliKate® Intensive Pore Exfoliating Treatment Versus CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Silica
Abrasive
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Pectin
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Carica Papaya Fruit
Skin ConditioningCeteareth-20
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dehydroxanthan Gum
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Cinnamal
Perfuming
Mel
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Eugenol
Perfuming
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Bromelain
Skin Conditioning
Papain
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Cinnamomum Cassia Leaf Oil
Masking
Acetic Acid
BufferingPogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Aniba Rosaeodora Wood Extract
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
CI 75810
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Lactic Acid, Silica, Glycine Soja Oil, Pectin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carica Papaya Fruit, Ceteareth-20, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Dehydroxanthan Gum, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Salicylic Acid, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract, Alcohol Denat., Sorbic Acid, Cinnamal, Mel, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Eugenol, Potassium Sorbate, Limonene, Linalool, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Beta-Carotene, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Bromelain, Papain, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cinnamomum Cassia Leaf Oil, Acetic Acid, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Aniba Rosaeodora Wood Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, CI 75810
Benzoyl Peroxide 4%
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCholesterol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propanediol
Solvent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium EDTA
Diethylhexyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate
CleansingPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzoic Acid
Masking
Benzoyl Peroxide 4%, Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Hydroxide, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Niacinamide, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Propanediol, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Diethylhexyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate, Phytosphingosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzoic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
