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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum versus Dr.G R.e.d Blemish Clear Soothing Active Essence .

Last updated on December 09, 2023. Published on December 10, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 8 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain niacinamide

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots

Free From

They both do not contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain fragrances

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
Essence South Korean Brand South Korea

Serum

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

Essence

Essences are used to prep skin for further treatment and may provide extra skin benefits. They are usually used before serum and moisturizers. Essences are thought to have originated in either Japan or Korea and is an essential step in K-Beauty.

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

AHA
Vitamin E
Niacinamide

Benefits

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

Concerns

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

Notable Ingredients

Niacinamide
Ceramides

Benefits

Hydrating (5)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (7)
Reduces Irritation (5)
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin
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Ingredients Compared

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

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 Soothing & Barrier Support Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

Dr.G R.e.d Blemish Clear Soothing Active Essence 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 Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

Dr.G R.e.d Blemish Clear Soothing Active Essence contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

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 Glycol

The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.

Dr.G R.e.d Blemish Clear Soothing Active Essence contains this as ingredient number 7.

4
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide

The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.

Dr.G R.e.d Blemish Clear Soothing Active Essence contains this as ingredient number 5.

5
What it does: Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Asiaticoside comes from the super popular skin-soothing ingredient, Centella asiatica. It is one of four active compounds found in the extract of Centella Asiatica.

Asiaticoside is an antioxidant and helps with wound healing. It has been shown to increase antioxidant activity during the wound healing process.

The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum contains this as ingredient number 12.

Dr.G R.e.d Blemish Clear Soothing Active Essence contains this as ingredient number 37.

6
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Stabilising
Community Rating: Loved

Asiatic Acid is a major component of Centella Asiatica Extract. It has wound-healing, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.

Studies show Asiatic Acid is able to block the pathway for skin inflammation receptors, helping to soothe skin.

As an antioxidant, asiatic acid helps protect our skin against damaging environmental factors.

Learn more about Asiatic Acid

The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum contains this as ingredient number 13.

Dr.G R.e.d Blemish Clear Soothing Active Essence contains this as ingredient number 38.

7
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Madecassic Acid is a major component of Centella Asiatica Extract. It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

It is a triterpenoid, meaning it naturally acts as an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect your skin against damage from environmental factors such as pollution and UV.

Studies show Madecassic Acid helps soothe the skin due to its ability to block inflammation pathways.

Learn more about Madecassic Acid

The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.

Dr.G R.e.d Blemish Clear Soothing Active Essence contains this as ingredient number 39.

8
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 Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum contains this as ingredient number 43.

Dr.G R.e.d Blemish Clear Soothing Active Essence contains this as ingredient number 33.

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

47% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
20% are disliked or very disliked
20% have no rating yet
64% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
15% are disliked or very disliked
8% 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 Soothing & Barrier Support Serum 45 ingredients

4.0 /5
from 7 ratings
Broke Me Out (1)
mikkoflam's avatar

mikkoflam

5 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

unfortunately broke me out really badly after 1 week use.

Linzaboo's avatar

Linzaboo

6 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

Take away my irritation in one use!

Dr.G R.e.d Blemish Clear Soothing Active Essence 39 ingredients

R.e.d Blemish Clear Soothing Active Essence hasn't been rated yet.
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Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 1 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum.

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