Versus

The INKEY List Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) Serum Versus Teratu Beauty Pore Refining & Multibiome Acne Serum

Serum
Serum
British Brand United Kingdom
Indonesian Brand Indonesia

Updated on May 03, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both fungal acne (malassezia) safe and reef safe serums. They have a total of 6 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain BHA and hyaluronic acid

Suited For

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

Free From

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

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 Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

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
Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning

Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is one of the most well-known ingredients for treating skin that struggles with blackheads and acne. It helps to exfoliate both the skin's surface and pores, and also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.

This multitasking property makes it a great ingredient for cleaning out pores, controlling oil production, and reducing inflammation.

Unlike AHAs which are water soluble, Salicylic Acid is oil soluble. This means that it's able to exfoliate the inside of pores and reduce blackheads.

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 a Salicylic Acid into your routine.

In general, Salicylic Acid is a great ingredient for oily acne-prone skin.

While salicylic acid does not increase sun-sensitivity, we still recommend wearing SPF.

If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.

Learn more about Salicylic Acid
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
Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Zinc PCA (or "zinc salt") differs slightly from zinc itself. PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid. However, Zinc PCA comes from zinc.

It can help reduce redness, regulate sebum, and promote the general healing process of the skin.

Zinc PCA tends to be especially useful for those with oily, acne-prone skin. It's certainly an ingredient worth trying out!

Learn more about Zinc PCA
Preservative

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent 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.

Emulsion Stabilising, Stabilising

Hydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.

This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.

This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.

Learn more about Hydroxyethylcellulose

When to use

248 Routines
32% use in am
68% use in pm
70% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
2 Routines
0% use in am
100% use in pm
50% use every day

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

The INKEY List Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) Serum 13 ingredients

4.3 /5
from 6 ratings
Absorbs Well (1) Light (1) Works Well (1)
featherstone's avatar

flora

5 months ago
Review

Game changer. This stuff is amazing for fungal acne, other BHA acids were too harsh for my sensitive skin and didn’t improve any of my concerns, but this stuff is strong and non irritating. Didn't give me any new breakouts just surfaced all of my pre-existing acne. Turned all my FA into white heads in a matter of weeks. This with the ordinary 5% lactic acid serum is completely reviving the texture Show more

#light
#absorbs well
#works well
CentellaAddict's avatar

CentellaAddict

1 year ago
Review

Very good for acne
Saw an immediate overnight change in my inflammation overnight after using for the first time, haven't had any inflammatory whiteheads since I finished purging (which lasted 2 weeks) and my skin is slightly less oily. However it did nothing really for my sebaceous filaments.

Teratu Beauty Pore Refining & Multibiome Acne Serum 13 ingredients

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