Naturium Niacinamide Cleansing Gelée 3% Versus Medik8 Calmwise Soothing Cleanser
Updated on March 06, 2025
Overview
What they are
These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, fungal acne (malassezia) safe, and reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin and sensitive skin
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates
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
Naturium Niacinamide Cleansing Gelée 3% 15 ingredients
Medik8 Calmwise Soothing Cleanser 23 ingredients
About this product
About this product
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Naturium Niacinamide Cleansing Gelée 3% 15 ingredients
Medik8 Calmwise Soothing Cleanser 23 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDisodium Cocoyl Glutamate
CleansingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex
Antioxidant
Phytonadione Epoxide
AstringentTeprenone
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Bicarbonate
Abrasive
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Decyl Glucoside, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Glucoside, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex, Phytonadione Epoxide, Teprenone, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Bicarbonate, Limonene
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 WaterGlycerin 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 GlycerinDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate is a surfactant and helps cleanse skin. It is created from the fatty acids of coconut oil.
Surfactants help rinse oil, dirt, and other pollutants easily from skin. It has a faint fruit-like scent.
Decyl Glucoside is a glucose-based surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Surfactants help clean the skin by trapping oil, sebum, and dirt to be washed away. As an emulsion stabilizer, it stabilizes the ingredients in a product by preventing them from separating.
This ingredient is biodegradable and non-toxic. This ingredient is commonly found in baby shampoos.
Decyl Glucoside is sometimes used to stabilize the UV filter Tinosorb.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosidePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent 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.
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
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 even out skin tone.
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.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidEthylhexylglycerin (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.
Ingredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
When to use
Naturium Niacinamide Cleansing Gelée 3% 15 ingredients
Medik8 Calmwise Soothing Cleanser 23 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Naturium Niacinamide Cleansing Gelée 3% 15 ingredients
I love this gelee! Feels cool, silky, and moisturizing on the skin, and skin feels clean afterward. Might be a bit drying for dry skin, but my normal sensitive skin loves it!
On my second bottle of this cleanser. I like how it brightens my face. I used to use Cetaphil oily to combination fragrance free cleanser and it felt like it wasn’t cleansing my face well but this one is perfect.
