Versus

Somethinc 2% BHA Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment Versus COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid

Facial Treatment
Exfoliator
Indonesian Brand Indonesia
Korean Brand South Korea

Updated on January 30, 2025

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 2 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain BHA

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin and reducing pores

Free From

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

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

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products

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

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 
Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

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.
  • It has mild preservative properties.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

When to use

9 Routines
22% use in am
78% use in pm
56% use every day
1,947 Routines
25% use in am
74% use in pm
57% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Somethinc 2% BHA Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment 20 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 rating
Absorbs Well (1) Great Value (1) Light (1)
bubblechaz's avatar

Farah Tiffani

5 months ago
Review

tbh I didn't expect much but boy was I wrong. all my stubborn closed comedones gone within a week and bonus my skin texture is improving. ofc my facial wash helps but I wish I thought about salicylic acid much earlier 🥹 this is my first salicylic acid serum and I love it, new HG. I checked ingredients via SkinSort before buying, to make sure it's fungal acne safe and match my other skin concerns. Show more

#great value
#light
#absorbs well
#works well

COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid 10 ingredients

3.7 /5
from 39 ratings
Absorbs Well (13) Light (12) Works Well (11)
sword's avatar

sword

1 year ago
Review

Gently Exfoliates
I decided to try a leave-on exfoliator rather than an exfoliating cleanser because I noticed I kept getting irritation from exfoliating cleansers. This Cosrx one is really gentle and pleasant. It takes a few minutes for it to absorb into my skin, but afterwards I get very little irritation and my skin texture and pore appearance have definitely improved.

#great value
#light
#no scent
#works well
v22's avatar

v22

6 months ago
Review

My favourite COSRX product. Pores appear smaller after a few hours. Was not expecting sebaceous filaments to disappear. I usually use one pump of liquid and put it directly on my T-zone and leave it to do its magic for about a few hours before applying moisturiser. (Putting moisturiser right after reduces its effectiveness from my personal experience.)

#great value
#light
#absorbs well
#no scent