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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution versus Herbivore Prism 12% AHA + 3% BHA Exfoliating Glow Serum .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on March 16, 2021

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 hyaluronic acid

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, 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.

Facial Treatment Canadian Brand Canada
Exfoliator Brand

Facial Treatment

Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.

Exfoliator

Exfoliators are used to exfoliate the skin, or remove dead skin cells from the skin. Exfoliators may be chemical or physical.

Price

Shop

Buy AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution

Starts at $9.50
Shop

Buy Prism 12% AHA + 3% BHA Exfoliating Glow Serum

Starts at $27.00

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

AHA (4)
BHA
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin (2)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture (4)
Reduces Large Pores (5)
Anti-Aging (2)
Dark Spots (2)
Scar Healing (5)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (6)

Concerns

Drying
Irritating (5)
Rosacea (5)
Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

PHA
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture
Anti-Aging
Brightening
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Ingredients Side-by-side

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

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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 Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution contains this as ingredient number 2.

Herbivore Prism 12% AHA + 3% BHA Exfoliating Glow Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin

The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution contains this as ingredient number 16.

Herbivore Prism 12% AHA + 3% BHA Exfoliating Glow Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.

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

48% are loved or liked
20% have mixed ratings
24% are disliked or very disliked
8% have no rating yet
75% are loved or liked
0% have mixed ratings
13% are disliked or very disliked
13% have no rating yet

Usage

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

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution 25 ingredients

3.9 /5
from 38 reviews
BrodyTosi's Avatar'
Jan 17, 2024

Speaking anecdotally, please be very well informed and careful if you choose to use this product. While this product contains both AHA and BHA chemical exfoliants I will be emphasizing its AHA content as a potential safety/irritant...

Speaking anecdotally, please be very well informed and careful if you choose to use this product. While this product contains both AHA and BHA chemical exfoliants I will be emphasizing its AHA content as a potential safety/irritant concern to the skin. Alpha hydroxy acids in this concentration can very easily over-exfoliate by stripping corneocytes from, or desquamating, the outermost stratum corneum of the epidermis. While this product formulation is vague about specific AHA composition of “30%”, The Ordinary’s website states that glycolic acid is the primary alpha hydroxy acid in their formula. Current clinical research (and the FDA) has established a general consensus that the concentration of AHAs for safe routine use in over the counter products is approximately in the figure range of 2-10%. For reference, dermatologists with over 8 years of medical and residency training perform chemical peels with glycolic acid ranging in concentration anywhere from 20-70% depending on intended penetration of the stratum corneum. With that said, there are some individuals with skin who can tolerate this level of exfoliation, but my personal philosophy is that less is more with chemical exfoliants. If you are thinking about using this product please do your due diligence and look into open-access research on chemical exfoliants, consider all exfoliant options side-by-side/if a chemical exfoliant is right for you, and understand your skin’s sensitivity level before jumping to one product.

Irritating
cgi's Avatar'
Jan 27, 2024

one of my fav chemical exfoliators. i recommend this for people with oily/acne-prone skin, those with dry or sensitive types should probably avoid.

NOTES: please be careful with this. i’ve seen so many people use this product...

one of my fav chemical exfoliators. i recommend this for people with oily/acne-prone skin, those with dry or sensitive types should probably avoid.

NOTES: please be careful with this. i’ve seen so many people use this product incorrectly and would end up getting a bad reaction (like literally burning their face). then leave bad review without having used it properly. this is a CHEMICAL exfoliating peel, it will sting but it should NEVER burn. if it does, your skin either cannot handle it or it was applied wrong.

here’s how to make sure it’s being used correctly:
- don’t use it with any clashing ingredients in your other products. (ex: vitamin C)
- don’t use it if you have open wounds (picked pimples)
- make sure your skin is completely dry before application, only use 2-3 drops or enough to cover your face.
- it should be a thin red layer, not thick, or you’ll burn your skin.
- AVOID APPLYING ON EYE AREA
- do NOT leave it on for more than 10 minutes, even if you don’t feel anything. you will completely strip and damage your skin.
- make sure to use sunscreen every morning while using this.

i use this once a week at night time after i cleanse my face. i first started to notice a difference after a couple weeks of use, my breakouts were disappearing and it reduced the bumps on my skin. it does an excellent job of improving skin texture and removing blackheads/blemishes. my skin always feels so smooth after use. it helped a lot of my dark spots and acne scars fade. i also love how cheap this is, a holy grail under $10.

the only things i don’t like about this is the sensation and smell. it doesn’t hurt (no skincare product should anyway) but it does sting, which is to be expected of. it has a weird smell to it, i’m not sure how to describe it but it’s not bad. i personally don’t mind fragrance as it doesn’t bother my sense of smell or irritate my skin. this product could be irritating to others though. it all entirely depends on your skin.

Great Value
Light Scent
thats_viv's Avatar'
Sep 4, 2021

Definitely works
I use thiss product on my nose for a while now and I can definitely see major changes in the texture on my nose.

The pores are much smaller and less blackheads occur. Value for money is definitely good.

Definitely works
I use thiss product on my nose for a while now and I can definitely see major changes in the texture on my nose.

The pores are much smaller and less blackheads occur. Value for money is definitely good.

Herbivore Prism 12% AHA + 3% BHA Exfoliating Glow Serum 16 ingredients

Prism 12% AHA + 3% BHA Exfoliating Glow Serum hasn't been rated yet.
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Alternatives

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Our Dupe Finder has found 6 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Herbivore Prism 12% AHA + 3% BHA Exfoliating Glow Serum.

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