Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA versus The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution .
Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on November 27, 2020
Overview
What they are
These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe . They have a total of 11 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain AHA and hyaluronic acid
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin and reducing pores
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.
Serum
Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.
Facial Treatment
Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.
Price
Ingredient Info
The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA 13 ingredients
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution 25 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA 13 ingredients
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution 25 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 6 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA 13 ingredients
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution 25 ingredients
Glycolic Acid • Water • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water • Sodium Hydroxide • Daucus Carota Sativa Extract • Propanediol • Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine • Salicylic Acid • Potassium Citrate • Lactic Acid • Tartaric Acid • Citric Acid • Panthenol • Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer • Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract • Glycerin • Pentylene Glycol • Xanthan Gum • Polysorbate 20 • Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate • Potassium Sorbate • Sodium Benzoate • Ethylhexylglycerin • 1,2-Hexanediol • Caprylyl Glycol
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 PropanediolThe Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA contains this as ingredient number 1.
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution contains this as ingredient number 6.
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 WaterThe Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA contains this as ingredient number 2.
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution contains this as ingredient number 2.
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 GlycerinThe Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA contains this as ingredient number 4.
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution contains this as ingredient number 16.
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a type of hyaluronic acid. In fact, it is modified version of hyaluronic acid.
The structure of Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer allows it to stay in the skin's top layer for a longer period of time. This allows for even more hydration and humectant action than hyaluronic acid.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate CrosspolymerThe Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA contains this as ingredient number 6.
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution contains this as ingredient number 14.
Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract is an antioxidant.
The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA contains this as ingredient number 7.
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution contains this as ingredient number 15.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can help thicken or emulsify a product. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolThe Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA contains this as ingredient number 8.
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution contains this as ingredient number 17.
Polysorbate 20 is made by combining ethoxylation of sorbitan, ethylene oxide, and lauric acid. It is a mild cleansing agent, surfactant, and emulsifier.
As a surfactant, it helps collect dirt and oils for washing. Emulsifiers prevent oils and water from separating.
Polysorbate 20 also adds scent to a product. Since it is made using sorbitol, it has a sweet scent. Sorbitol can also be found in fruits such as apples and peaches.
The lauric acid used to create Polysorbate 20 is often derived from coconuts.
Polysorbate 20 may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA contains this as ingredient number 9.
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution contains this as ingredient number 19.
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 HydroxideThe Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA contains this as ingredient number 10.
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution contains this as ingredient number 4.
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 Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA contains this as ingredient number 11.
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution contains this as ingredient number 23.
1,2-Hexanediol is a multi-tasker ingredient. It acts as a preservative to increase shelf-life and can aid other preservatives in preventing microbe growth. 1,2-Hexanediol also helps the skin retain moisture as a humectant.
In products that are water-based, this ingredient can help stabilize perfumes and fragrances. It can also help make the texture of products softer and more smooth.
The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA contains this as ingredient number 12.
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution contains this as ingredient number 24.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolThe Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA contains this as ingredient number 13.
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution contains this as ingredient number 25.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA 13 ingredients
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution 25 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA 13 ingredients
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution 25 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA 13 ingredients
Gentle and didn't break me out. I love it
Gentle and didn't break me out. I love it
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution 25 ingredients
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.
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.
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.
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