What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Salicylic Acid 0.75%
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Triheptanoin
Skin ConditioningOctadecenedioic Acid
Emulsifying
Silybum Marianum Extract
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium PCA
Humectant
Amylopectin
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Succinoglycan
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
Antioxidant
Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Water
TonicNymphaea Caerulea Flower Water
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Physalis Angulata Extract
Skin ProtectingAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingC9-12 Alkane
SolventBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Dextrin
AbsorbentPolydextrose
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Lauryl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Salicylic Acid 0.75%, Water, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Octyldodecanol, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Triheptanoin, Octadecenedioic Acid, Silybum Marianum Extract, Magnesium PCA, Amylopectin, Niacinamide, Succinoglycan, Bisabolol, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Water, Nymphaea Caerulea Flower Water, Palmitic Acid, Lecithin, Physalis Angulata Extract, Acetyl Glucosamine, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer, Carbomer, C9-12 Alkane, Behenyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Dextrin, Polydextrose, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Lauryl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol
Benzoyl Peroxide 4%
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Diethylhexyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Water
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate
CleansingSorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Sorbitol
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBenzoyl Peroxide 4%, Carbomer, Decyl Glucoside, Dimethicone, Diethylhexyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate, Glycerin, Palmitic Acid, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, PEG-40 Stearate, Propanediol, Water, Silica, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate, Sorbitan Stearate, Sorbitol, Stearic Acid, T-Butyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinPalmitic 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 AcidPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideStearic 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
