Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution versus La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Serum Visible Dark Spot Reducer .
Last updated on September 13, 2023. Published on April 04, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 7 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain BHA
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain harsh alcohols and fragrances
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Facial Treatment
Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.
Serum
Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.
Price
Ingredient Info
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution 24 ingredients
La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Serum Visible Dark Spot Reducer 29 ingredients
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution 24 ingredients
La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Serum Visible Dark Spot Reducer 29 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Build your routine, track which ingredients work for you, and much more with your free account.
Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution 24 ingredients
La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Serum Visible Dark Spot Reducer 29 ingredients
Water • Propylene Glycol • Glycerin • Alcohol Denat. • Peg/Ppg/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin • Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol • 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid • Ppg-6-Decyltetradeceth-30 • Phenoxyethanol • Salicylic Acid • Xanthan Gum • Hydroxyethylcellulose • Potassium Hydroxide • Citric Acid • Sodium Citrate • Tocopheryl Acetate • Lavandula Angustifolia Oil • Disodium EDTA • Adenosine • Linalool • Butylene Glycol • Tocopherol • Citrus Aurantium Tachibana Peel Extract • Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Water • Glycerin • Dimethicone • Alcohol Denat. • Niacinamide • Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate • Octyldodecanol • Peg-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate • Dimethiconol • Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate • Isohexadecane • Sodium Hyaluronate • Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract • Phenylethyl Resorcinol • Poloxamer 338 • Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate • Disodium EDTA • Isopropyl Myristate • Capryloyl Glycine • Salicylic Acid • Xanthan Gum • Ferulic Acid • Polysorbate 80 • Acrylamide • Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer • Phenoxyethanol • CI 77891 • Mica • Parfum
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterKiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution contains this as ingredient number 1.
La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Serum Visible Dark Spot Reducer contains this as ingredient number 1.
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 GlycerinKiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution contains this as ingredient number 3.
La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Serum Visible Dark Spot Reducer contains this as ingredient number 2.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol and other additives. It has a low molecular weight and will evaporate quickly. This helps other ingredients become better absorbed and dry once applied.
Alcohol Denat. is volatile and may cause irritation. It helps draw out natural oils in skin and dry out your skin.
One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased irritation.
Alcohol is antibacterial by nature. This can help preserve products and increase their shelf life.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution contains this as ingredient number 4.
La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Serum Visible Dark Spot Reducer contains this as ingredient number 4.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution contains this as ingredient number 9.
La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Serum Visible Dark Spot Reducer contains this as ingredient number 26.
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 AcidKiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution contains this as ingredient number 10.
La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Serum Visible Dark Spot Reducer contains this as ingredient number 20.
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 GumKiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution contains this as ingredient number 11.
La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Serum Visible Dark Spot Reducer contains this as ingredient number 21.
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 EDTAKiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution contains this as ingredient number 18.
La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Serum Visible Dark Spot Reducer contains this as ingredient number 17.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution 24 ingredients
La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Serum Visible Dark Spot Reducer 29 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution 24 ingredients
La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Serum Visible Dark Spot Reducer 29 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution 24 ingredients
MSP
Works as said
I have dark skin and lots of PIH. It lightens them. You can see quicker results with new PIH spots. Holygrail in my routine
La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Serum Visible Dark Spot Reducer 29 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 23 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution.
See 23 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 26 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Serum Visible Dark Spot Reducer.
See 26 alternatives