This salicylic acid foaming cleanser is formulated around Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and unclog pores.
This salicylic acid foaming cleanser is formulated around Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and unclog pores.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Surfactant
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Potassium Cocoyl Glutamate
Surfactant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Polyquaternium-10
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPolyquaternium-7
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Prunus Persica Fruit Extract
Abrasive
Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Domestica Fruit Extract
MoisturisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Antioxidant
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Dipeptide-15
Skin Conditioning
Glutathione
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
Emulsifying
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol
HumectantCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Stearic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Niacinamide, Palmitic Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Potassium Cocoyl Glutamate, Salicylic Acid, Polyquaternium-10, Sodium Chloride, Polyquaternium-7, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Prunus Persica Fruit Extract, Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Prunus Domestica Fruit Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Azelaic Acid, Dipeptide-15, Glutathione, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sucrose Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Ceramide EOP, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, Ceramide AP, Ceramide Ns, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Madecassoside, Asiatic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Cocamide DEA
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cera Alba
Emollient
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Lauric Acid, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cocamide DEA, Propylene Glycol, Cera Alba, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycol Distearate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Salicylic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Chlorphenesin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, EDTA, BHT, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate Se is a self-emulsifying (SE) form of glyceryl stearate. Self-emusifying means this ingredient automatically blends with water. It is an emulsifier, emollient, and cleansing agent.
As an emulsifier, Glyceryl Stearate Se prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It is also a surfactant, meaning it helps cleanse the skin. Surfactants help gather oil, dirt, and other pollutants so they may be rinsed away easily.
Emollients help your skin stay smooth and soft. It does so by creating a film on top of the skin that helps trap moisture in.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate SeLauric Acid is a saturated fatty acid naturally found in coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and even breast milk.
In cosmetics, it is an:
Lab studies have found that lauric acid is surprisingly good at killing acne-causing bacteria. However, these tests were done on bacteria in a petri dish and not on real skin, so we can't say for certain it works the same in a formulation on a real face.
The comedogenic rating of 4 comes from the 1972 rabbit ear model using undiluted ingredients. Comedogenicity is highly individual and one comedogenic ingredient cannot predict how a formula will behave on skin.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe and research has confirmed Malassezia can use it as a food source. Even though "fungal acne" has the word "acne" in it, they are completely different. Regular acne is driven by a bacteria called Cutibacterium acnes, clogged pores, and excess oil. Fungal acne isn't really acne; it's caused by an overgrowth of a yeast called Malassezia that already lives on everyone's skin. Because one is bacterial and the other is fungal, they respond to different ingredients.
Learn more about Lauric AcidMyristic Acid, aka tetradecanoic acid, is a naturally occurring fatty acid found in coconut oil and palm oil.
In skincare, it is an:
Research indicates that this ingredient posts a low risk of irritation and sensitization.
Since myristic acid is a C14 fatty acid, it falls within the range that Malassezia can metabolize, and therefore not fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Myristic AcidPalmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.
In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidPotassium Hydroxide (also known as potash) is a strong alkaline ingredient that does one job: it nudges a product's pH up so the whole formula lands in a skin-friendly range.
It's also the base that turns oils into liquid soap during the soap making process.
An expert safety panel reviewed it and found it safe when formulations are made to be non-irritating.
As a pH adjuster, it's typically used well under 1% though regulatory caps go much higher: 5% in nail cuticle removers and 2-4.5% in hair straighteners.
Though there is some concern for irritation from raw or high pH material, a well-balanced formula will be a non-issue for the vast majority of people.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideSalicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is a well-known ingredient for treating skin that struggles with acne and clogged pores. It exfoliates both the skin's surface and deep within the pores to help clear out buildup, control oil, and reduce inflammation.
Unlike AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble. This allows it to penetrate into pores which makes it especially effective for treating blackheads and preventing future breakouts.
Salicylic acid is also known for its soothing properties. It has a similar structure to aspirin and can calm inflamed or irritated skin, making it a good option for acne-prone skin that is also sensitive.
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 this ingredient into your routine.
While salicylic acid does not increase sun sensitivity, it’s still important to wear sunscreen daily to protect your skin.
If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.
Learn more about Salicylic AcidChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
