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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Neutrogena Bright Boost Resurfacing Micro Polish versus Dr. Brandt Skincare Microdermabrasion Age-Defying Exfoliator .

Published on April 27, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe exfoliators. They have a total of 8 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain AHA and Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain fragrances

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

Exfoliator American Brand United States
Exfoliator American Brand United States

Exfoliator

Exfoliators are used to exfoliate the skin, or remove dead skin cells from the skin. Exfoliators may be chemical or physical.

Exfoliator

Exfoliators are used to exfoliate the skin, or remove dead skin cells from the skin. Exfoliators may be chemical or physical.

Price

Shop

Buy Bright Boost Resurfacing Micro Polish

Starts at $10.79
Shop

Buy Microdermabrasion Age-Defying Exfoliator

Starts at $36.00

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 (2)
Vitamin E

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Brightening (4)

Concerns

Irritating (2)
Rosacea (3)
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

AHA
Vitamin E
Exfoliators

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation (2)
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Irritating
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (3)
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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: 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

Neutrogena Bright Boost Resurfacing Micro Polish contains this as ingredient number 1.

Dr. Brandt Skincare Microdermabrasion Age-Defying Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Masking
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Cetyl Alcohol is not related to SD alcohol, denatured alcohol, or ethyl alcohol. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

Neutrogena Bright Boost Resurfacing Micro Polish contains this as ingredient number 2.

Dr. Brandt Skincare Microdermabrasion Age-Defying Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 5.

3
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin 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 Glycerin

Neutrogena Bright Boost Resurfacing Micro Polish contains this as ingredient number 5.

Dr. Brandt Skincare Microdermabrasion Age-Defying Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 4.

4
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and 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.

Neutrogena Bright Boost Resurfacing Micro Polish contains this as ingredient number 12.

Dr. Brandt Skincare Microdermabrasion Age-Defying Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 11.

5
What it does: Masking, Perfuming
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "Parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'. The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Learn more about Parfum

Neutrogena Bright Boost Resurfacing Micro Polish contains this as ingredient number 14.

Dr. Brandt Skincare Microdermabrasion Age-Defying Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 13.

6
What it does: Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

Learn more about Xanthan Gum

Neutrogena Bright Boost Resurfacing Micro Polish contains this as ingredient number 15.

Dr. Brandt Skincare Microdermabrasion Age-Defying Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 10.

7
What it does: Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.

One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.

Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.

Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate

Neutrogena Bright Boost Resurfacing Micro Polish contains this as ingredient number 16.

Dr. Brandt Skincare Microdermabrasion Age-Defying Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 17.

8
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA

Neutrogena Bright Boost Resurfacing Micro Polish contains this as ingredient number 17.

Dr. Brandt Skincare Microdermabrasion Age-Defying Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 16.

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

41% are loved or liked
6% have mixed ratings
41% are disliked or very disliked
12% have no rating yet
36% are loved or liked
8% have mixed ratings
44% are disliked or very disliked
12% 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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