Versus

Some By Mi AHA, BHA, PHA, Calming Truecica Micellar Cleansing Water Versus COSRX Low pH Niacinamide Micellar Cleansing Water

Face Cleanser
Makeup Remover
Korean Brand South Korea
Korean Brand South Korea

Updated on June 19, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 13 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid and niacinamide

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, parabens, silicones or sulfates

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

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

What's inside (and what isn't)

What's inside (and what isn't)

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
AHA, BHA, PHA, Calming Truecica Micellar Cleansing Water

Water

Skin Conditioning

Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water 20%

Antimicrobial
Good for Oily Skin Icon

Propanediol

Solvent

1,2-Hexanediol

Skin Conditioning

Niacinamide

Smoothing
Niacinamide IconGood for Oily Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin Icon

C12-14 Pareth-12

Emulsifying

Betaine

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate

Emulsifying

Allantoin

Skin Conditioning
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Decyl Glucoside

Cleansing

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Humectant
Helps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil

Masking
Oil Icon

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid Icon

Salix Alba Bark Extract

Astringent
Good for Oily Skin Icon

Hyaluronic Acid

Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Capryloyl Salicylic Acid

Exfoliating
Exfoliant Icon

Salicylic Acid

Masking
BHA IconPreservative IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Tromethamine

Buffering

Gluconolactone

Skin Conditioning
PHA IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Citric Acid

Buffering
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Sea Water

Humectant

Lactobacillus Ferment

Skin Conditioning

Glyceryl Glucoside

Humectant

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract

Skin Conditioning

Dipropylene Glycol

Masking

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Emulsifying

Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate

Skin Conditioning
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Panthenol

Skin Conditioning
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Asiaticoside

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Glucose

Humectant

Cetearyl Alcohol

Emollient
2 / 1 Fatty Alcohol IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Sorbitan Stearate

Emulsifying
0 / 1 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glyceryl Stearate

Emollient
1 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Madecassic Acid

Skin Conditioning
Helps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Asiatic Acid

Skin Conditioning

Ceramide NP

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract

Cleansing

Origanum Majorana Leaf Extract

Antiseborrhoeic

Ocimum Basilicum Leaf Extract

Skin Conditioning

Portulaca Oleracea Extract

Skin Conditioning

Centella Asiatica Extract

Cleansing
Helps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Artemisia Capillaris Extract

Madecassoside

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Glycine

Buffering
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Serine

Masking

Glutamic Acid

Humectant

Aspartic Acid

Masking

Leucine

Skin Conditioning

Alanine

Masking

Lysine

Skin Conditioning

Arginine

Masking
Good for Scar Healing IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Tyrosine

Masking

Phenylalanine

Masking

Valine

Masking

Threonine

Proline

Skin Conditioning

Isoleucine

Skin Conditioning

Histidine

Humectant

Methionine

Skin Conditioning

Cysteine

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Solvent

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin. 

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Learn more about Propanediol
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse. 

It is a:

  • Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
  • Emollient, helping to soften skin
  • Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
  • Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives 
Smoothing

Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.

And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.

You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.

In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.

If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.

In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).

Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.

Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.

The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.

Learn more about Niacinamide

Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate comes from Capric Acid and Polyglycerin-4. It is an emulsifier.

Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. They do this by preventing ingredients from separating, such as oils and water which do not mix naturally.

Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Soothing

Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.

Some studies have shown this ingredient can promote wound healing with higher concentrations.

Allantoin is derived from the comfrey plant but produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Learn more about Allantoin
Skin Conditioning

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

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 EDTA
Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate
Buffering, Masking

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and even out skin tone.

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid
Masking, Solvent

Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created stabilizer and solvent. It is a part of the glycol class in the alcohol family.

Dipropylene Glycol helps dissolve and evenly distribute ingredients. It also helps decrease viscosity and thin out texture.

As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.

Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.

Learn more about Dipropylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

Learn more about Panthenol
Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning

Madecassoside comes from the super popular skin-soothing ingredient, Centella asiatica. It is one of four active compounds found in the extract of Centella Asiatica.

Madecassoside has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hydrating properties. It contains fatty acids, amino acids, beta-carotene, and phytochemicals.

One study found using Madecassoside with ascorbic acid helped reduce the signs of aging and improved skin hydration.

Learn more about Madecassoside

When to use

31 Routines
32% use in am
68% use in pm
87% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
1,355 Routines
24% use in am
75% use in pm
93% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Some By Mi AHA, BHA, PHA, Calming Truecica Micellar Cleansing Water 64 ingredients

AHA, BHA, PHA, Calming Truecica Micellar Cleansing Water hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

COSRX Low pH Niacinamide Micellar Cleansing Water 16 ingredients

4.5 /5
from 24 ratings
Works Well (14) Light (13) No Scent (12)
Clover's avatar

Clover

11 months ago
Review

My favorite way to cleanse in the morning!
I have dry but acne prone skin, so I really wanted to find a way to cleanse my skin in the morning without also stripping my skin of every ounce of moisture it has. I’ve been testing micellar waters for awhile now, but so far this one by COSRX is my favorite! It feels a little more hydrating than some of the others I’ve tried (Bioderma and Garnier), and Show more

#hydrating
#no scent
#works well
ayrenoday's avatar

Ayren W

3 months ago
Review

I use this for cleansing in between morning and evening face washes. It's especially good after coming home from work or school and it's too early to do your full night routine. I don't want sweat, sebum, and city gunk sitting on my face for hours. This gentle cleanser handles that and contains zinc which I've found to be great for acne-prone skin. I put this in a foaming dispenser and apply it Show more

#great value
#hydrating
#light
#no scent