La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Clarifying Micro-Peeling Gel Cleanser Versus Dermalogica Magnetic Afterglow Cleanser
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
2-Mercaptonicotinoyl Glycine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Thiosulfate
Disodium EDTA
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates Copolymer
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Coco-Betaine, Propanediol, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Gluconolactone, Ceramide NP, Niacinamide, 2-Mercaptonicotinoyl Glycine, Sodium Thiosulfate, Disodium EDTA, Capryloyl Glycine, Caprylyl Glycol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Pentylene Glycol, Acrylates Copolymer, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate
CleansingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Jasminum Sambac Flower Extract
Masking
Gardenia Jasminoides Fruit Extract
Cosmetic ColorantHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Cleansing
Jasminum Officinale Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
2,3-Butanediol
HumectantMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Sodium Astrocaryum Murumuruate
EmollientGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPropanediol
Solvent
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, Lauryl Glucoside, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Decyl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Jasminum Sambac Flower Extract, Gardenia Jasminoides Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Jasminum Officinale Oil, Tocopherol, Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Gluconate, Glyceryl Oleate, Pentylene Glycol, Palmitic Acid, Saccharide Isomerate, 2,3-Butanediol, Maltodextrin, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Coco-Glucoside, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Astrocaryum Murumuruate, Gluconolactone, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Propanediol, Cellulose Gum, Stearic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sorbic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene, Linalool
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
