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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser versus Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Extra Strength Daily Peel .

Published on March 11, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free . They have a total of 8 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain AHA, BHA and Vitamin C

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any oils

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

Face Cleanser American Brand United States
Facial Treatment American Brand United States

Face Cleanser

Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).

Facial Treatment

Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.

Price

Shop

Buy AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser

Starts at $31.89
Shop

Buy Alpha Beta® Extra Strength Daily Peel

Starts at $72.29

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 (2)
BHA
Vitamin C

Benefits

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

Concerns

Drying (3)
Acne Trigger
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (4)
Eczema (4)

Notable Ingredients

AHA (5)
BHA
Retinoid (2)
Vitamin C (2)
Vitamin E
Exfoliators

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin (5)
Redness Reducing (3)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture (8)
Reduces Large Pores (9)
Anti-Aging (8)
Dark Spots (6)
Scar Healing (10)
Acne Fighting (5)
Brightening (10)

Concerns

Drying (6)
May Worsen Oily Skin (3)
Irritating (11)
Rosacea (9)
Eczema (7)
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Ingredients Compared

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

Ingredients Side-by-side

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

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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

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 1.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Extra Strength Daily Peel contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Sodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid and is naturally occurring on human skin.

The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.

Sodium PCA is a has conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.

Learn more about Sodium PCA

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 8.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Extra Strength Daily Peel contains this as ingredient number 45.

3
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Loved

Glycolic Acid is arguably the most famous AHA with research to back up its benefits. Its main role is to peel the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Glycolic Acid has shown to boost collage production, a protein that helps skin stay firm. Overall, Glycolic Acid helps with improving uneven tone, rough patches of skin, fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage. It also increases skin hydration by playing a role in creating molecules that create hyaluronic acid naturally.

When applying Glycolic Acid, it is normal to feel slight stinging. The pH value and concentration of glycolic acid play a role in the effectiveness of the product.

Recent studies have shown Glycolic Acid may protect the skin against UV damage. However, you should always wear SPF, especially when using exfoliants.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Glycolic Acid

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 11.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Extra Strength Daily Peel contains this as ingredient number 3.

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

Lactic Acid is an AHA that is derived from fermenting lactose, a carbohydrate from milk. It removes the top layer of old and dead skin cells and helps increase cell turnover.

Benefits of Lactic Acid are that it can help to reduce large pores and reduce the effects of aging. Some potential downsides are that it can be bad for dry skin, cause irritation, worsen eczema, and worsen rosacea.

Not only does it help exfoliate the skin, it helps strengthen the skin's barrier. When applied, lactic acid helps the skin create ceramides.

Lactic acid is an over-the-counter chemical exfoliant that comes from the fermentation of lactose — a carbohydrate found in milk.

Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Lactic Acid

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 12.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Extra Strength Daily Peel contains this as ingredient number 8.

5
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

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 13.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Extra Strength Daily Peel contains this as ingredient number 6.

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

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 17.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Extra Strength Daily Peel contains this as ingredient number 11.

7
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

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

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 18.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Extra Strength Daily Peel contains this as ingredient number 21.

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.

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 19.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Extra Strength Daily Peel contains this as ingredient number 28.

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

33% are loved or liked
10% have mixed ratings
52% are disliked or very disliked
5% have no rating yet
41% are loved or liked
7% have mixed ratings
43% 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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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser 21 ingredients

2.0 /5
from 1 rating

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 2 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Extra Strength Daily Peel.

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