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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Naturium Mandelic Topical Acid 12% versus FaceTheory Mandelibright Serum S7 .

Published on August 13, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, fungal acne (malassezia) safe, and reef safe serums. They have a total of 6 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain AHA, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores and dark spots

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.

Serum American Brand United States
Serum British Brand United Kingdom

Serum

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

Serum

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

Price

Shop

Buy Mandelic Topical Acid 12%

Starts at $20.00
Shop

Buy Mandelibright Serum S7

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
Vitamin E
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Dark Spots
Acne Fighting
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Irritating (2)
Rosacea

Notable Ingredients

AHA
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

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

Concerns

Irritating
Rosacea
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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

Naturium Mandelic Topical Acid 12% contains this as ingredient number 1.

FaceTheory Mandelibright Serum S7 contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Antimicrobial
Community Rating: Liked

Mandelic Acid helps exfoliate skin. It also contains antioxidant properties.

As an AHA, Mandelic 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.

Mandelic Acid may be an alternative to Glycolic Acid for those with sensitive skin.

Mandelic Acid may help reduce wrinkles, acne, and hyperpigmentation.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Mandelic Acid

Naturium Mandelic Topical Acid 12% contains this as ingredient number 2.

FaceTheory Mandelibright Serum S7 contains this as ingredient number 3.

3
What it does: Solvent
Community Rating: Liked

Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.

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 Propanediol

Naturium Mandelic Topical Acid 12% contains this as ingredient number 3.

FaceTheory Mandelibright Serum S7 contains this as ingredient number 2.

4
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide

Naturium Mandelic Topical Acid 12% contains this as ingredient number 5.

FaceTheory Mandelibright Serum S7 contains this as ingredient number 5.

5
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate

Naturium Mandelic Topical Acid 12% contains this as ingredient number 10.

FaceTheory Mandelibright Serum S7 contains this as ingredient number 10.

6
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Disliked

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

Potassium sorbate is potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

Potassium sorbate is often used with stronger preservatives.

Learn more about Potassium Sorbate

Naturium Mandelic Topical Acid 12% contains this as ingredient number 15.

FaceTheory Mandelibright Serum S7 contains this as ingredient number 12.

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

53% are loved or liked
0% have mixed ratings
37% are disliked or very disliked
11% have no rating yet
83% are loved or liked
0% have mixed ratings
17% 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

Naturium Mandelic Topical Acid 12% 19 ingredients

3.5 /5
from 2 ratings
Absorbs Well (1) Great Value (1) Heavy (1) Strong Scent (1)
MichelleR's avatar

MichelleR

4 months ago ยท Dry Skin
Review

It smells SO bad. And not like a subtle, go away after a few minutes, smell. It's a lingering, potent, i need to write a review about it, smell....

It smells SO bad. And not like a subtle, go away after a few minutes, smell. It's a lingering, potent, i need to write a review about it, smell. Two stars because, so far it doesn't break me out and is a gentle enough exfoliator to use on days after my retinoid. The jury is still out on whether or not I can get past the smell enough to use it consistently enough to see results. More to follow.

FaceTheory Mandelibright Serum S7 12 ingredients

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Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Naturium Mandelic Topical Acid 12%.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to FaceTheory Mandelibright Serum S7.

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