Naturium The Smoother Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Wash Versus Neutrogena Body Clear® Oil-Free Body Acne Wash with Salicylic Acid
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Malic Acid
Buffering
Pyruvic Acid
MaskingTartaric Acid
Buffering
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Polyquaternium-73
Cocamide Mipa
Emulsifying
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Polyquaternium-10
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Didecyldimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingMethylpropanediol
SolventPolyquaternium-80
CleansingCitric Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Glycol Distearate, Lactic Acid, Malic Acid, Pyruvic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Sodium PCA, Polyquaternium-73, Cocamide Mipa, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Polyquaternium-10, Glycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Didecyldimonium Chloride, Methylpropanediol, Polyquaternium-80, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Lactate
Salicylic Acid 2%
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Linoleamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Stearyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Triclosan
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
Masking
Salicylic Acid 2%, Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Glycerin, Linoleamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Stearyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Citric Acid, Propylene Glycol, Triclosan, CI 19140, CI 17200, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate is a gentle, coconut-derived cleansing surfactant. It's most commonly found in "sulfate-free" cleansers.
As a taurate, it belongs to a class of anionic surfactants prized for being efficient at cleansing without harshness, good performance in hard water, stability across a wide pH range, and easily biodegradable.
It is able to lift away oil and grime and make a nice lather without stripping your skin, so it's a good pick for sensitive skin.
Safety-wise, it has a good record. The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics and concentrations go up to 11% in leave-on products or 13% in rinse-off products.
Despite being derived from coconut oil, this ingredient is fungal acne safe. It's a water-soluble surfactant with no fatty oils or esters left intact on skin for the Malassezia yeast to feed.
Learn more about Sodium Methyl Cocoyl TaurateWater. 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
