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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Anhydrous Solution versus Farmacy Deep Sweep Toner .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on April 12, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 1 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, oily skin, reducing pores and scar healing

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 Canadian Brand Canada
Toner American Brand United States

Serum

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

Toner

Toners are used as a “last-step” cleanser, a pH balancer, add moisture to the skin, or may help in reducing impurities on the skin. They have a liquid consistency and are usually used after cleansers but before treatments.

Price

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

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Reduces Large Pores
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting
Brightening

Concerns

Drying
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

AHA
BHA
PHA
Exfoliators

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Skin Texture (2)
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging (2)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (3)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Drying
Irritating (2)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (2)
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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: 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 Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Anhydrous Solution contains this as ingredient number 4.

Farmacy Deep Sweep Toner contains this as ingredient number 3.

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

33% are loved or liked
33% have mixed ratings
33% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet
64% are loved or liked
9% have mixed ratings
14% are disliked or very disliked
14% 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 Salicylic Acid 2% Anhydrous Solution 9 ingredients

3.3 /5
from 3 ratings
Doesn't Work (1) Great Value (1) No Scent (1) Works Well (1)
jesssimon's avatar

jesssimon

3 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

Started using this product around 3-4 months ago. I have noticed a complete transformation in my acne. I had been using products with “fatty...

Started using this product around 3-4 months ago. I have noticed a complete transformation in my acne. I had been using products with “fatty alcohols” (Cerave), and unfortunately broke out.. bad. I had a ton of deep painful spots, majority on my chin and forehead. This product completely cleared/healed those spots within one month of use. Since then I have noticed, if I do get a spot, it appears much smaller and heals much faster. Of course this might not work for everyone. But to me this is a holy grail. The Ordinary does have some hit or miss products but this has seriously saved my skin.

Sophfeah's avatar

Sophfeah

3 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

makes my ENTIRE face red it does absolutely not work do not buy
it doesn't burn but it looks like you didn't put sunscreen on the next day and I...

makes my ENTIRE face red it does absolutely not work do not buy
it doesn't burn but it looks like you didn't put sunscreen on the next day and I didn't see any positive effects from using this product.

Farmacy Deep Sweep Toner 22 ingredients

4.3 /5
from 4 ratings
Absorbs Well (1) Drying (1) Light (1) Light Scent (1) Works Well (1)
JolyneKujo_268's avatar

JolyneKujo_268

2 months ago · Skin
Review

works pretty well, love the formula and the ingredients list

lucia.h's avatar

lucia.h

4 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

feels a little bit drying but overall works really well, fine when used w a moisturizer after.

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 4 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Anhydrous Solution.

See 4 alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 4 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Farmacy Deep Sweep Toner.

See 4 alternatives
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