Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Proactiv Deep Cleansing Face Wash versus Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator .
Published on December 22, 2021
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain AHA
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, brightening skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any oils, 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.
Face Cleanser
Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).
Face Cleanser
Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).
Price
Ingredient Info
Proactiv Deep Cleansing Face Wash 29 ingredients
Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator 28 ingredients
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
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 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
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 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
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
Proactiv Deep Cleansing Face Wash 29 ingredients
Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator 28 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
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:
Benefits
This product contains 2 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 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient 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 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Proactiv Deep Cleansing Face Wash 29 ingredients
Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator 28 ingredients
Water • Cocamidopropyl Betaine • Distearyl Phthalic Acid Amide • Synthetic Wax • Stearyl Alcohol • Cetyl Alcohol • Jojoba Esters • Sodium Chloride • Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate • Citric Acid • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice • Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract • Coconut Acid • Menthol • Peg-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate • Caprylyl Glycol • Hexylene Glycol • Ethylhexylglycerin • Ascorbic Acid • Butylene Glycol • Disodium EDTA • Isopropyl Alcohol • Sodium Hydroxide • Phenoxyethanol • Sodium Benzoate • Sodium Sulfite • Potassium Sorbate • Parfum • Chromium Hydroxide Green
Water • Glycerin • Salicylic Acid • Cetearyl Alcohol • Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate • Xanthan Gum • Paraffin • Glyceryl Stearate • Peg-100 Stearate • Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract • Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract • Morus Alba Bark Extract • Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract • Butylene Glycol • Linoleic Acid • Linolenic Acid • Sodium Hyaluronate • Disodium EDTA • Glycolic Acid • Polysorbate 20 • Sodium Hydroxide • Cetyl Alcohol • Isododecane • Phenoxyethanol • Chlorphenesin • Benzoic Acid • Sorbic Acid • Parfum
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.
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 WaterProactiv Deep Cleansing Face Wash contains this as ingredient number 1.
Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 1.
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.
Its main roles are:
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholProactiv Deep Cleansing Face Wash contains this as ingredient number 6.
Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 22.
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.
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.
Proactiv Deep Cleansing Face Wash contains this as ingredient number 20.
Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 14.
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 EDTAProactiv Deep Cleansing Face Wash contains this as ingredient number 21.
Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 18.
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 HydroxideProactiv Deep Cleansing Face Wash contains this as ingredient number 23.
Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 21.
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.
Proactiv Deep Cleansing Face Wash contains this as ingredient number 24.
Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 24.
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 ParfumProactiv Deep Cleansing Face Wash contains this as ingredient number 28.
Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator contains this as ingredient number 28.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Proactiv Deep Cleansing Face Wash 29 ingredients
Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator 28 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Proactiv Deep Cleansing Face Wash 29 ingredients
Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator 28 ingredients
Alternatives
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