Explore Routine Login

Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The INKEY List Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) Serum versus Revolution Beauty Skincare Salicylic Acid and Niacinamide Serum .

Last updated on May 03, 2024. Published on January 05, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free, fungal acne (malassezia) safe, and reef safe serums. They have a total of 6 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, 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 need an update? Let us know.

Serum British Brand United Kingdom
Serum British Brand United Kingdom

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Shop

Buy Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) Serum

Starts at $10.00
Shop

Buy Skincare Salicylic Acid and Niacinamide Serum

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

BHA
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Reduces Large Pores
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening

Concerns

Drying
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

BHA
Niacinamide

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin (2)
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Drying
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema (3)
Join our community

Build your routine, track which ingredients work for you, and much more with your free account.

Join SkinSort

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

Loading ingredients...

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

The INKEY List Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

Revolution Beauty Skincare Salicylic Acid and Niacinamide Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Solvent
Community Rating: Liked

Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.

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

The INKEY List Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

Revolution Beauty Skincare Salicylic Acid and Niacinamide Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.

3
What it does: Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

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

The INKEY List Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.

Revolution Beauty Skincare Salicylic Acid and Niacinamide Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.

4
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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.

The INKEY List Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.

Revolution Beauty Skincare Salicylic Acid and Niacinamide Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.

5
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Mixed

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 Hydroxide

The INKEY List Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.

Revolution Beauty Skincare Salicylic Acid and Niacinamide Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.

6
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

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.

The INKEY List Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.

Revolution Beauty Skincare Salicylic Acid and Niacinamide Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

69% are loved or liked
23% have mixed ratings
8% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet
53% are loved or liked
18% have mixed ratings
29% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

Loading routine usage...
Loading routine usage...

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

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

4.2 /5
from 5 ratings
CentellaAddict's avatar

CentellaAddict

8 months ago · Combination Skin
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...

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.

bloss's avatar

bloss

10 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

It’s like the only product that actually seemed to do anything.

Revolution Beauty Skincare Salicylic Acid and Niacinamide Serum 17 ingredients

Skincare Salicylic Acid and Niacinamide Serum hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The INKEY List Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) Serum.

See 50 alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Revolution Beauty Skincare Salicylic Acid and Niacinamide Serum.

See 50 alternatives
Loading similar comparisons...