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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Lancôme Clarifique Refining & Brightening Dual Essence versus Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion .

Published on September 20, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 6 ingredients in common

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin

Free From

They both do not contain any common allergens, parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain oils

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Essence French Brand France
Toner American Brand United States

Essence

Essences are used to prep skin for further treatment and may provide extra skin benefits. They are usually used before serum and moisturizers. Essences are thought to have originated in either Japan or Korea and is an essential step in K-Beauty.

Toner

Toners are used as a “last-step” cleanser, a pH balancer, add moisture to the skin, or may help in reducing impurities on the skin. They have a liquid consistency and are usually used after cleansers but before treatments.

Price

Shop

Buy Clarifique Refining & Brightening Dual Essence

Starts at $95.00
Shop

Buy Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion

Starts at $65.00

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

AHA
BHA
Vitamin C
Vitamin E

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin (2)
Redness Reducing
Skin Texture (2)
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging (3)
Dark Spots (2)
Scar Healing (4)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (4)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Irritating (4)
Rosacea (3)
Eczema (4)

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

Lancôme Clarifique Refining & Brightening Dual Essence contains this as ingredient number 1.

Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

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

  • It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
  • It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
  • It helps improve product application.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.

Lancôme Clarifique Refining & Brightening Dual Essence contains this as ingredient number 4.

Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 5.

3
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

Pentylene 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 help thicken or emulsify a product. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.

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 Glycol

Lancôme Clarifique Refining & Brightening Dual Essence contains this as ingredient number 18.

Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 7.

4
What it does: Solvent
Community Rating: Liked

Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.

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 Propanediol

Lancôme Clarifique Refining & Brightening Dual Essence contains this as ingredient number 20.

Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 4.

5
What it does: Emollient, Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.

It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.

Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.

This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.

Learn more about Caprylyl Glycol

Lancôme Clarifique Refining & Brightening Dual Essence contains this as ingredient number 21.

Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 15.

6
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Disliked

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

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.

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 look more even.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

Lancôme Clarifique Refining & Brightening Dual Essence contains this as ingredient number 29.

Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion contains this as ingredient number 18.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

41% are loved or liked
24% have mixed ratings
21% are disliked or very disliked
14% have no rating yet
52% are loved or liked
17% have mixed ratings
22% are disliked or very disliked
9% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 2 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Lancôme Clarifique Refining & Brightening Dual Essence.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion.

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