Pond's Bright Miracle Ultimate Clarity Niasorcinol Facial Foam Versus The Originote Cicamide Facial Cleanser
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
EmollientPotassium Chloride
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningSucrose Distearate
EmollientTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantAcrylates Crosspolymer
AbsorbentStearyl Dimethicone
EmollientParfum
MaskingStearic Acid
CleansingMagnesium Sulfate
Cholesterol
EmollientDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingDMDM Hydantoin
PreservativeOctadecane
EmollientIsomerized Linoleic Acid
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Lactate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Acetamide Mea
HumectantRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
PreservativeBHT
AntioxidantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Caprylyl Methicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Potassium Chloride, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Sucrose Distearate, Titanium Dioxide, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Stearyl Dimethicone, Parfum, Stearic Acid, Magnesium Sulfate, Cholesterol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, DMDM Hydantoin, Octadecane, Isomerized Linoleic Acid, Ammonium Lactate, Disodium EDTA, Acetamide Mea, Retinyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, BHT, CI 17200
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingPEG-90 Glyceryl Isostearate
CleansingSodium Laureth Sulfate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeLaureth-2
CleansingMethylparaben
PreservativeNiacinamide
SmoothingButylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
CleansingCholesterol
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-90 Glyceryl Isostearate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Phenoxyethanol, Laureth-2, Methylparaben, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hexylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Cholesterol, Ceramide NP
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.
It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.
Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.
Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.
Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.
Learn more about CholesterolGlycerin (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 GlycerinStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic 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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water