This acne treatment is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Centella Asiatica Extract to clear breakouts and refine the look of pores.
This acne treatment is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Azelaic Acid to clear breakouts and refine the look of pores.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Spiraea Ulmaria Extract
AstringentSalicylic Acid
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Amylopectin
Glycerin
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCyclodextrin
AbsorbentPlatonin
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningJuniperus Communis Fruit Extract
Perfuming
Morus Alba Root Extract
BleachingPerilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract
TonicHemerocallis Fulva Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Calcium Pantothenate
Urea
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPapain
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingMagnesium Chloride
Magnesium Lactate
BufferingPotassium Lactate
BufferingSerine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
ChelatingO-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingZinc PCA
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Butylene Glycol, Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract, Salicylic Acid, Niacinamide, Amylopectin, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Cyclodextrin, Platonin, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Beta-Glucan, Lactobacillus/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Juniperus Communis Fruit Extract, Morus Alba Root Extract, Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract, Hemerocallis Fulva Flower Extract, Maltodextrin, Calcium Pantothenate, Urea, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Papain, Sodium Citrate, Magnesium Chloride, Magnesium Lactate, Potassium Lactate, Serine, Alanine, Proline, Glycolic Acid, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, O-Cymen-5-Ol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Zinc PCA, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Carbomer
Salicylic Acid 1.8%
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-1
EmollientGaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Glycerin
Humectant
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Salix Nigra Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Sambucus Nigra Fruit Juice
AstringentSpiraea Ulmaria Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Salicylic Acid 1.8%, Water, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-1, Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Azelaic Acid, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Zinc PCA, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sambucus Nigra Fruit Juice, Spiraea Ulmaria Flower Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.
Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.
Learn more about Dipotassium GlycyrrhizateGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSalicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is a well-known ingredient for treating skin that struggles with acne and clogged pores. It exfoliates both the skin's surface and deep within the pores to help clear out buildup, control oil, and reduce inflammation.
Unlike AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble. This allows it to penetrate into pores which makes it especially effective for treating blackheads and preventing future breakouts.
Salicylic acid is also known for its soothing properties. It has a similar structure to aspirin and can calm inflamed or irritated skin, making it a good option for acne-prone skin that is also sensitive.
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 this ingredient into your routine.
While salicylic acid does not increase sun sensitivity, it’s still important to wear sunscreen daily to protect your skin.
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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterZinc PCA is a clever two-in-one molecule: the zinc salt of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (PCA).
Think of it as two useful things bonded together; the PCA half is one of your skin's own natural moisturizing factors (NMF) so it helps hold water in the upper layers. On the other hand, the zinc half does the heavy lifting on oil and bacteria.
The zinc part slows down an enzyme that turns testosterone into DHT, the hormone that tells your oil glands to pump out more sebum. Less of that signal means less oil. It also gently fights acne-causing bacteria and soothes redness/irritation.
This is why Zinc PCA often shows up in products for oily, breakout-prone skin and greasy scalps.
One lab study also hinted it might have a small anti-aging perk because it seemed to protect collagen from UVA damage and even helped the skin make a bit more of it. That last bit is still early research done in a dish and not real skin, so take it as a nice bonus rather than a promise for now.
As for scar healing, the picture is more "maybe" than a firm yes. Zinc itself plays a real role in wound repair because it is a cofactor for the enzymes involved in collagen building, calming inflammation, and helping new skin cells cover a wound. Lower zinc levels are also linked to slower healing.
Most of the scar healing research is on zinc oxide or oral zinc rather than zinc PCA specifically, with a focus on healing fresh wounds instead of scars that are already there.
Direct evidence that zinc PCA improves the look of established scars is still limited at this time. Though it would be fair to say zinc PCA supports the general skin-repair environment thanks to its zinc content .
This ingredient is water-soluble and plays nicely with other actives like niacinamide and salicylic acid. It works best at mildly acidic formulas (~4-6 pH) and is effective at low levels. Around 0.1% is enough to be active and finished products commonly use it anywhere up to 4%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-drama multitasker that suits oily and acne-prone skin.
Learn more about Zinc PCA
