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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Murad Deep Relief Acne Treatment versus The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Anhydrous Solution .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on January 09, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 3 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, common allergens, oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates

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

Facial Treatment American Brand United States
Serum Canadian Brand Canada

Facial Treatment

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

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Shop

Buy Deep Relief Acne Treatment

Starts at $45.00
Shop

Buy Salicylic Acid 2% Anhydrous Solution

Starts at $7.20

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
Vitamin E
Exfoliators

Benefits

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

Concerns

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

Notable Ingredients

BHA

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Reduces Large Pores
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting
Brightening

Concerns

Drying
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema
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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: 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 Deep Relief Acne Treatment contains this as ingredient number 1.

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Anhydrous Solution contains this as ingredient number 4.

2
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

Murad Deep Relief Acne Treatment contains this as ingredient number 4.

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Anhydrous Solution contains this as ingredient number 3.

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

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.

Within a product, Caprylic Triglyceride can thicken the product and make spreadability easier by dissolving clumping compounds. An added benefit of Caprylic Triglyceride is its antioxidant properties.

Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Caprylic Triglyceride has not been found to be toxic for human use in concentrations under 50%.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.

Learn more about Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Murad Deep Relief Acne Treatment contains this as ingredient number 20.

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Anhydrous Solution contains this as ingredient number 2.

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

40% are loved or liked
11% have mixed ratings
37% are disliked or very disliked
11% have no rating yet
33% are loved or liked
33% have mixed ratings
33% are disliked or very disliked
0% 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 Deep Relief Acne Treatment 35 ingredients

Deep Relief Acne Treatment hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Anhydrous Solution 9 ingredients

3.3 /5
from 3 ratings
Doesn't Work (1) Great Value (1) No Scent (1) Works Well (1)
jesssimon's avatar

jesssimon

2 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

Started using this product around 3-4 months ago. I have noticed a complete transformation in my acne. I had been using products with “fatty...

Started using this product around 3-4 months ago. I have noticed a complete transformation in my acne. I had been using products with “fatty alcohols” (Cerave), and unfortunately broke out.. bad. I had a ton of deep painful spots, majority on my chin and forehead. This product completely cleared/healed those spots within one month of use. Since then I have noticed, if I do get a spot, it appears much smaller and heals much faster. Of course this might not work for everyone. But to me this is a holy grail. The Ordinary does have some hit or miss products but this has seriously saved my skin.

Sophfeah's avatar

Sophfeah

2 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

makes my ENTIRE face red it does absolutely not work do not buy
it doesn't burn but it looks like you didn't put sunscreen on the next day and I...

makes my ENTIRE face red it does absolutely not work do not buy
it doesn't burn but it looks like you didn't put sunscreen on the next day and I didn't see any positive effects from using this product.

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 2 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Murad Deep Relief Acne Treatment.

See 2 alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 3 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Anhydrous Solution.

See 3 alternatives
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