Explore Routine Login

Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm versus The INKEY List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser .

Last updated on September 13, 2023. Published on August 09, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 5 ingredients in common

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin and dark spots

Free From

They both do not contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances and oils

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Face Cleanser British Brand United Kingdom
Face Cleanser British Brand United Kingdom

Face Cleanser

Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).

Face Cleanser

Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).

Price

Shop

Buy Oat Cleansing Balm

Starts at $13.00
Shop

Buy Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser

Starts at $15.49

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

Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Exfoliators (2)

Benefits

Hydrating
Redness Reducing
Skin Texture
Anti-Aging (2)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (2)
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger
Irritating (2)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (2)

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Dark Spots
Brightening

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema
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
Community Rating: Disliked

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil comes from the sweet almond, a tree native to Iran. This oil has no fragrance and is non-volatile.

Almonds contain healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. It is a rich source of Vitamin E, a great antioxidant and skin conditioning ingredient. Sweet almond oil contains fatty acids such as linolenic acid and triglycerides.

The content of sweet almond oil makes it a great emollient; it can help soften and hydrate your skin. Emollients create a barrier over your skin to trap moisture in. Sweet almond oil has antioxidant properties. This may help with anti-aging, as antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are unstable molecules that may damage your skin's cells.

Those with an almond allergy should be careful of this ingredient and speak with a professional about using it in your skincare.

This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe.

Learn more about Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm contains this as ingredient number 1.

The INKEY List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 16.

2
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 Oat Cleansing Balm contains this as ingredient number 11.

The INKEY List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 1.

3
What it does: Perfuming, Preservative, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.

Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.

Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.

Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.

Other types of astringent alcohols include:

According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.

Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.

Learn more about Benzyl Alcohol

The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm contains this as ingredient number 12.

The INKEY List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 7.

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 Oat Cleansing Balm contains this as ingredient number 13.

The INKEY List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 6.

5
What it does: Emollient, Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is the oil derived from the seeds of a Sunflower. Sunflower seed oil is non-fragrant. It is an emollient, meaning it helps to soften the skin.

Sunflower seed oil contains many fatty acids. The fatty acids found in sunflower seeds include (from highest amount to least): linoleic acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, oleic acid, and linolenic acid.

These fatty acids help the skin create ceramides. Ceramides play a role in repairing the skin barrier.

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil helps moisturize the skin. This in turn helps the skin look more rejuvenated and smoother.

Sunflowers are rich in vitamin E.

Historians believe Indigenous cultures of North America domesticated sunflowers before corn. Thus they relied on sunflower oil for a variety of uses. One such use is moisturizing skin and hair.

Sunflower seed oil may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.

Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm contains this as ingredient number 19.

The INKEY List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 15.

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

21% are loved or liked
5% have mixed ratings
63% are disliked or very disliked
11% have no rating yet
32% are loved or liked
11% have mixed ratings
53% are disliked or very disliked
5% 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 Oat Cleansing Balm 19 ingredients

3.3 /5
from 23 ratings
Great Value (7) Works Well (7) Hydrating (4) No Scent (3) Heavy (3) Sticky (2)
Lapaki's avatar

Lapaki

5 months ago · Dry Skin
Review

Well, it is gentle, but I didn't like the experience. Usually, my cleansing balms and oils emulsify as soon as I start adding water on my face, and...

Well, it is gentle, but I didn't like the experience. Usually, my cleansing balms and oils emulsify as soon as I start adding water on my face, and wash off nicely. However, this one somehow doesn't... Even after double cleansing. Perhaps a stronger second cleanser would help, but my skin only tolerates milky washes/cleansers. I would have given it three stars, but the strong, off-putting smell just adds to the 'meh' effect.

Lurielle's avatar

Lurielle

5 months ago · Oily Skin
Review

It's the only oil-based cleanser without clogg-poring ingredients that I could find and at a good price point. Of course it leaves an oily residue...

It's the only oil-based cleanser without clogg-poring ingredients that I could find and at a good price point. Of course it leaves an oily residue behind, bul all balms do. Nothing a water-based cleanser can't solve afterwards, we should do the double-cleansing anyways.
It would be better to change the package into a pump system, it would be less messy and more practical.

The INKEY List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser 19 ingredients

3.0 /5
from 1 rating

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 3 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm.

See 3 alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The INKEY List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser.

See 50 alternatives
Loading similar comparisons...