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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Makeup Artist's Choice Azelaic Salicylic Gel W/licorice Root Extract versus Tula Skincare Breakout Star Oil-Free Acne Moisturizer .

Published on May 12, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe general moisturizers. They have a total of 9 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain BHA and niacinamide

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots

Free From

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

What's Inside

They both contain silicones

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

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

Price

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

BHA
Niacinamide

Benefits

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

Concerns

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

Notable Ingredients

AHA
BHA
Niacinamide

Benefits

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

Concerns

Drying (2)
Acne Trigger
Irritating (2)
Rosacea (3)
Eczema (2)
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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

Makeup Artist's Choice Azelaic Salicylic Gel W/licorice Root Extract contains this as ingredient number 1.

Tula Skincare Breakout Star Oil-Free Acne Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 2.

2
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

Makeup Artist's Choice Azelaic Salicylic Gel W/licorice Root Extract contains this as ingredient number 3.

Tula Skincare Breakout Star Oil-Free Acne Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 3.

3
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.

Dimethicone has been found increase absorption in skin, boosting the benefits of other ingredients. While there is concern for the safety of dimethicone, the levels used in skincare are safe for use.

Makeup Artist's Choice Azelaic Salicylic Gel W/licorice Root Extract contains this as ingredient number 4.

Tula Skincare Breakout Star Oil-Free Acne Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 4.

4
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Glycerin

Makeup Artist's Choice Azelaic Salicylic Gel W/licorice Root Extract contains this as ingredient number 5.

Tula Skincare Breakout Star Oil-Free Acne Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 5.

5
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Loved

Azelaic acid is a naturally occurring acid that is derived from grains. However, the lab-created form is typically used within cosmetic products as it has better shelf-stability.

It has been shown to be effective in the treatment of acne, rosacea, and other skin conditions. Azelaic acid helps reduce the growth of bacteria that cause acne and helps to reduce inflammation.

It also helps to improve the appearance of skin by reducing the production of sebum and unclogging pores.

Azelaic Acid also has antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.

One of the main benefits of azelaic acid is that it is gentle and well-tolerated by most people. It is also non-comedogenic, meaning that it will not clog pores.

Learn more about Azelaic Acid

Makeup Artist's Choice Azelaic Salicylic Gel W/licorice Root Extract contains this as ingredient number 6.

Tula Skincare Breakout Star Oil-Free Acne Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 12.

6
What it does: Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

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 Acid

Makeup Artist's Choice Azelaic Salicylic Gel W/licorice Root Extract contains this as ingredient number 7.

Tula Skincare Breakout Star Oil-Free Acne Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 1.

7
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide 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 Niacinamide

Makeup Artist's Choice Azelaic Salicylic Gel W/licorice Root Extract contains this as ingredient number 8.

Tula Skincare Breakout Star Oil-Free Acne Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 10.

8
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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.

Makeup Artist's Choice Azelaic Salicylic Gel W/licorice Root Extract contains this as ingredient number 13.

Tula Skincare Breakout Star Oil-Free Acne Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 23.

9
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

Makeup Artist's Choice Azelaic Salicylic Gel W/licorice Root Extract contains this as ingredient number 14.

Tula Skincare Breakout Star Oil-Free Acne Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 32.

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

50% are loved or liked
14% have mixed ratings
21% are disliked or very disliked
14% have no rating yet
52% are loved or liked
6% have mixed ratings
33% 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.

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Makeup Artist's Choice Azelaic Salicylic Gel W/licorice Root Extract.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 11 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Tula Skincare Breakout Star Oil-Free Acne Moisturizer.

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