Overview
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne
Free From
They both do not contain any oils, 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
Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask 13 ingredients
Neutrogena Stubborn Acne AM Face Treatment with 2.5% Micronized Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Medicine 9 ingredients
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask 13 ingredients
Neutrogena Stubborn Acne AM Face Treatment with 2.5% Micronized Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Medicine 9 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Ingredients Side-by-side
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.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
2 Benefits
Kaolin is a clay. It is used for oil control and to help minimize pores. Like other clays, kaolin has the ability to absorb excess sebum or oil. This can help clean out pores and mattify the skin.
Bentonite is an aluminium phyllosilicate clay with great absorbent properties. The name 'bentonite' comes from the area where the largest source is found: Fort Benton, Wyoming.
This gentle cleansing and foaming ingredient is known for leaving a smooth feeling in skin and hair. It is made using coconut oil.
Non-Reef-Safe
Titanium dioxide is known for its UVA and UVB protection properties. It is non-comedogenic and non-irritating. Titanium Dioxide is a physical sunscreen. Physical sunscreens reflect light and prevent it from reaching your skin.
4 Benefits 2 Concerns
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
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.
Fragrance Preservative 6 Concerns
Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
2 Concerns
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
Menthol is a compound found in mint plants, such as peppermint. In its pure form, it is a clear crystalline substance.
Helps fight Acne 4 Concerns
Benzoyl Peroxide is famous for fighting acne. This is because it does a variety of tasks on the skin: it helps reduce excess oil, kill bacteria, and clear out dead skin cells. In other words, it is effective at unclogging pores.
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.
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
Sodium 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.
Chlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
Laureth-4 is created by reacting ethylene oxide with Lauryl Alcohol. It is a surfactant and emulsifier.
This ingredient is a semi-synthetic polymer created from cellulose. In case you need a refresher, cellulose is the main component of plant cell walls.
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 WaterDisodium 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 EDTAIngredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
When to use
Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask 13 ingredients
Neutrogena Stubborn Acne AM Face Treatment with 2.5% Micronized Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Medicine 9 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask 13 ingredients
Neutrogena Stubborn Acne AM Face Treatment with 2.5% Micronized Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Medicine 9 ingredients
Clover
MICRONIZED benzoyl peroxide is a miracle worker!
This product was a dermatologist recommendation to me, and I’m so so so grateful because it has...
MICRONIZED benzoyl peroxide is a miracle worker!
This product was a dermatologist recommendation to me, and I’m so so so grateful because it has done wonders for my skin. Micro BPO is able to penetrate the skin deeper while also being more gentle than regular BPO. This is a leave on product with a creamy consistency, and since it is Neutrogena it is very affordable and accessible (which are both things I LOVE). It’s not a spot treatment, but I’ve used it on spots and as a preventative and it works very well at tackling both my active acne and preventing new breakouts. Occasionally it will tingle on my skin if my skin barrier is not in the best state, but most of the time I can’t feel this at all. I also like to apply this in a similar way to how I would strong retinoids; buffering or sandwiching. Apply a thick moisturizer on first before applying this product (buffering), and if desired you can add on another layer of moisturizer after applying this BPO cream (sandwiching).
This is a must try! Especially if you know benzoyl peroxide works for your skin, but you also struggle with it being too drying. However, if you are particularly sensitive, it may be best to make sure you always remember to buffer this, don’t use it everyday, and when you do use it, do so sparingly rather than over large patches of skin.
I recommend this product to anyone with acne prone skin. It’s AMAZING.
Ericj89
Texture: Gel cream texture.
Scent: No scent
Performance: Benzoyl peroxide, my staple ingredient to treat acne.
Pros: Effective for acne/blind...
Texture: Gel cream texture.
Scent: No scent
Performance: Benzoyl peroxide, my staple ingredient to treat acne.
Pros: Effective for acne/blind pimple
Cons: None
WRP/WNRP: WRP
