Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Neutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Acne Serum versus Neutrogena Advanced Acne Serum .
Published on October 12, 2022
Overview
What they are
These products are both fungal acne (malassezia) safe and reef safe . They have a total of 13 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain AHA, BHA and PHA
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, oils, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain silicones
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Serum
Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.
Exfoliator
Exfoliators are used to exfoliate the skin, or remove dead skin cells from the skin. Exfoliators may be chemical or physical.
Ingredient Info
Neutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Acne Serum 13 ingredients
Neutrogena Advanced Acne Serum 18 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Neutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Acne Serum 13 ingredients
Neutrogena Advanced Acne Serum 18 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 2 ingredients 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:
Benefits
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Neutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Acne Serum 13 ingredients
Neutrogena Advanced Acne Serum 18 ingredients
Water • Glycolic Acid • Propylene Glycol • Dimethicone • Mandelic Acid • Gluconolactone • Sodium Hydroxide • Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate • Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer • Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 • Salicylic Acid • Dimethicone Crosspolymer • Disodium EDTA • Dipropylene Glycol • Ethyl Linalool • Methyldihydrojasmonate • Methyl Anthranilate • 3-Hexenol
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
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 AcidNeutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
Neutrogena Advanced Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.
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 WaterNeutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
Neutrogena Advanced Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
Propylene Glycol is an odorless, colorless liquid. As a humectant, it helps skin retain moisture. It also aids in delivering active ingredients.
Another role of this ingredient is preventing a product from melting or freezing. Propylene glycol also adds antimicrobrial properties to a product, elongating product lifespan.
This ingredient is considered an organic alcohol and commonly added into both cosmetics and foods.
Those with sensitive skin or conditions may deliver a rash when using this ingredient.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolNeutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.
Neutrogena Advanced Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.
Glycolic Acid is arguably the most famous AHA with research to back up its benefits. Its main role is to peel the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.
Glycolic Acid has shown to boost collage production, a protein that helps skin stay firm. Overall, Glycolic Acid helps with improving uneven tone, rough patches of skin, fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage. It also increases skin hydration by playing a role in creating molecules that create hyaluronic acid naturally.
When applying Glycolic Acid, it is normal to feel slight stinging. The pH value and concentration of glycolic acid play a role in the effectiveness of the product.
Recent studies have shown Glycolic Acid may protect the skin against UV damage. However, you should always wear SPF, especially when using exfoliants.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Glycolic AcidNeutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.
Neutrogena Advanced Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.
Dimethicone has been found increase absorption in skin, boosting the benefits of other ingredients. While there is concern for the safety of dimethicone, the levels used in skincare are safe for use.
Neutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.
Neutrogena Advanced Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.
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 AcidNeutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.
Neutrogena Advanced Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.
Gluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs have a larger structure than AHAs and BHAs and are more gentle. It is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This helps improve texture and brightens the skin.
Gluconolactone is a humectant and helps draw moisture to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
PHAs also exhibit antioxidant activity by neutralizing free-radical molecules. This can help with anti-aging.
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells. However, we still recommend wearing SPF especially after using exfoliating ingredients.
Learn more about GluconolactoneNeutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.
Neutrogena Advanced Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.
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.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideNeutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 8.
Neutrogena Advanced Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.
We don't have a description for Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate.
Neutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 9.
Neutrogena Advanced Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 8.
This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
Neutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.
Neutrogena Advanced Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 9.
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 is a texture enhancer and pH adjuster.
It is be used to thicken water-based products and create a gel-texture with a velvet feel.
One manufacturer claims this ingredient to have a pH range of 2-8 and to be biodegradable.
Learn more about Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6Neutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.
Neutrogena Advanced Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.
Dimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone created by modifying dimethicone with hydrocarbon side chains. Due to its large size, it does not penetrate skin. It is considered non-occlusive.
Dimethicone Crosspolymer is used to stabilize and thicken products. It also helps give products a silky feel.
Neutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 12.
Neutrogena Advanced Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 12.
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 EDTANeutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 13.
Neutrogena Advanced Acne Serum contains this as ingredient number 13.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Neutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Acne Serum 13 ingredients
Neutrogena Advanced Acne Serum 18 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Neutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Acne Serum 13 ingredients
Neutrogena Advanced Acne Serum 18 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Neutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Acne Serum 13 ingredients
bsabrina
great spot treatment
this absolutely will help flatten really large under-the-skin pimples, but I find it to be too drying and irritating to use...
great spot treatment
this absolutely will help flatten really large under-the-skin pimples, but I find it to be too drying and irritating to use all over the face. People with sensitive skin be careful! this BURNED my skin. luckily I didn't experience any breakouts using this. also, the smell is SO strong. this helps a lot with sebaceous filaments too
Neutrogena Advanced Acne Serum 18 ingredients
Alternatives
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