Versus

Missha Cicadin Ph Blemish Foaming Cleanser Versus Kiehl's Cucumber Herbal Conditioning Cleanser

Face Cleanser
Face Cleanser
Korean Brand South Korea
American Brand United States

Updated on December 21, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 11 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain BHA

Suited For

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

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain fragrances and oils

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

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

What's inside (and what isn't)

What's inside (and what isn't)

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
Cicadin Ph Blemish Foaming Cleanser

Water

Skin Conditioning

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate

Cleansing

Glyceryl Stearate

Emollient
1 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Cetearyl Alcohol

Emollient
2 / 1 Fatty Alcohol IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Coco-Betaine

Cleansing

Propanediol

Solvent
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Coconut Acid

Cleansing
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate

Cleansing
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate

Sodium Isethionate

Cleansing

Lauryl Hydroxysultaine

Cleansing

Stearic Acid

Cleansing
2-3 / 0 May worsen Oily Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Sodium Chloride

Masking
Can worsen Dry Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Salicylic Acid

Masking
BHA IconPreservative IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Potassium Benzoate

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Palmitic Acid

Emollient
2 / 0 May worsen Oily Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Masking
Fragrance IconOil IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Sorbitol

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Masking
Fragrance IconOil Icon

1,2-Hexanediol

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Disodium EDTA

Hydroxyacetophenone

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Masking
Fragrance IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Arachidic Acid

Cleansing
2 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Panthenol

Skin Conditioning
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Emollient
0 / 0 Oil IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment

Antimicrobial

Myristic Acid

Cleansing
3 / 0 Bad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Dipropylene Glycol

Masking

Oleic Acid

Emollient
May worsen Oily Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Bletilla Striata Root Extract

Skin Conditioning

Echinacea Purpurea Extract

Moisturising

Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract

Skin Conditioning

Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract

Tonic

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Centella Asiatica Extract

Cleansing
Helps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Ethoxydiglycol

Humectant
0 / 0

Allantoin

Skin Conditioning
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Asiaticoside

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Asiatic Acid

Skin Conditioning

Madecassic Acid

Skin Conditioning
Helps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid Icon

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Hyaluronic Acid

Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Potassium Hyaluronate

Skin Conditioning

Madecassoside

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon
Cucumber Herbal Conditioning Cleanser

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

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

Sodium cocoyl isethionate is a natural ingredient from coconut oil. It is an ultra gentle cleanser that gives a nice foam without drying the skin or impacting the skin barrier.

The amount of foam created depends on the amount of sodium cocoyl isethionate used in the product.

This ingredient also helps improve the spreadability of a product.

Learn more about Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Emollient, Emulsifying

Glyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.

It is used to stabilize the mixing of water and oil ingredients. By preventing these ingredients from separating, it can help elongate shelf life. It can also help thicken the product's texture.

As an emollient, it helps soften skin and supports barrier-replenishing ingredients.

In cosmetics, Glyceryl Stearate is often made from vegetable oils or synthetically produced.

This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate
Cleansing, Skin Conditioning

Coco-Betaine is the natural version of Cocamidopropyl Betaine. It is often derived from coconuts.

Coco-Betaine is a surfactant, meaning it helps remove dirt and oil from the skin.

Cleansing, Emollient, Emulsifying

Coconut Acid isn't fungal acne safe.

Cleansing, Foaming

This gentle cleansing and foaming ingredient is known for leaving a smooth feeling in skin and hair. It is made using coconut oil.

According to the manufacturer, it is soluble in water and has resistance to hard water, acid, and alkali.

Due to its coconut base, it may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.

Learn more about Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing, Skin Conditioning

We don't have a description for Sodium Isethionate yet.

Masking

Chances 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.

There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.

The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.

Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.

Learn more about Sodium Chloride
Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning

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

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 EDTA

When to use

28 Routines
50% use in am
50% use in pm
93% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->