Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Astringent Versus Neutrogena Rapid Clear 2-in-1 Fight & Fade Toner
Overview
What they are
These products are both fungal acne (malassezia) safe and reef safe . They have a total of 5 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain BHA
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin and reducing pores
Free From
They both do not contain any common allergens, oils, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain harsh alcohols and fragrances
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 Oil-Eliminating Astringent 14 ingredients
Neutrogena Rapid Clear 2-in-1 Fight & Fade Toner 18 ingredients
About this product
About this product
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Astringent 14 ingredients
Neutrogena Rapid Clear 2-in-1 Fight & Fade Toner 18 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Salicylic Acid 2%
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PPG-5-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingC12-15 Alkyl Lactate
EmollientSodium Citrate
BufferingParfum
Masking
Cocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
PEG/PPG-20/6 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Cetyl Lactate
EmollientBenzalkonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate
UV AbsorberDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycolic Acid
Buffering
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantSalicylic Acid 2%, Water, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, C12-15 Alkyl Lactate, Sodium Citrate, Parfum, Cocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, PEG/PPG-20/6 Dimethicone, Cetyl Lactate, Benzalkonium Chloride, Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycolic Acid, CI 15985, CI 16035
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is one of the most well-known ingredients for treating skin that struggles with blackheads and acne. It helps to exfoliate both the skin's surface and pores, and also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.
This multitasking property makes it a great ingredient for cleaning out pores, controlling oil production, and reducing inflammation.
Unlike AHAs which are water soluble, Salicylic Acid is oil soluble. This means that it's able to exfoliate the inside of pores and reduce blackheads.
Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.
It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing a Salicylic Acid into your routine.
In general, Salicylic Acid is a great ingredient for oily acne-prone skin.
While salicylic acid does not increase sun-sensitivity, we still recommend wearing SPF.
If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.
Learn more about Salicylic 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterAlcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying - mostly due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue, constricting pores and leaving your skin dried out.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is if this alcohol is near the end of an ingredients list, it will probably not affect your skin much.
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
- It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
- It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
- It helps improve product application.
- It has mild preservative properties.
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient 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.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or '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 by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
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 ParfumIngredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
When to use
Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Astringent 14 ingredients
Neutrogena Rapid Clear 2-in-1 Fight & Fade Toner 18 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Astringent 14 ingredients
Neutrogena Rapid Clear 2-in-1 Fight & Fade Toner 18 ingredients
To be fair, I did not give a full run of this toner, but I used it few years ago and upon first use, my skin was red and burning. Upon second use, my skin wasn't as reactive, but it still didn't appreciate this product. The redness took a fair amount of time to alleviate. Would not recommend for those with dry skin like mine.
