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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Urban Skin Clear & Even Tone Clarifying Glycolic Pads versus Peter Thomas Roth Even Smoother Glycolic Retinol Resurfacing Peel Pads .

Published on April 20, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 9 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain AHA, niacinamide and retinoid

Suited For

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

Free From

They both do not contain any common allergens, parabens or silicones

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

Exfoliator American Brand United States
Facial Treatment American Brand United States

Exfoliator

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

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

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 (3)
BHA
Retinoid
Vitamin E
Niacinamide

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin (4)
Redness Reducing (4)
Reduces Irritation (2)
Skin Texture (3)
Reduces Large Pores (6)
Anti-Aging (4)
Dark Spots (8)
Scar Healing (8)
Acne Fighting (4)
Brightening (7)

Concerns

Drying (2)
Acne Trigger
Irritating (5)
Rosacea (4)
Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

AHA
Retinoid
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin (3)
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture (2)
Reduces Large Pores (3)
Anti-Aging (3)
Dark Spots (3)
Scar Healing (4)
Acne Fighting (2)
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.

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

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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

Urban Skin Clear & Even Tone Clarifying Glycolic Pads contains this as ingredient number 1.

Peter Thomas Roth Even Smoother Glycolic Retinol Resurfacing Peel Pads contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Loved

Glycolic Acid is arguably the most famous AHA with research to back up its benefits. Its main role is to peel the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Glycolic Acid has shown to boost collage production, a protein that helps skin stay firm. Overall, Glycolic Acid helps with improving uneven tone, rough patches of skin, fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage. It also increases skin hydration by playing a role in creating molecules that create hyaluronic acid naturally.

When applying Glycolic Acid, it is normal to feel slight stinging. The pH value and concentration of glycolic acid play a role in the effectiveness of the product.

Recent studies have shown Glycolic Acid may protect the skin against UV damage. However, you should always wear SPF, especially when using exfoliants.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Glycolic Acid

Urban Skin Clear & Even Tone Clarifying Glycolic Pads contains this as ingredient number 2.

Peter Thomas Roth Even Smoother Glycolic Retinol Resurfacing Peel Pads contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Mixed

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 Hydroxide

Urban Skin Clear & Even Tone Clarifying Glycolic Pads contains this as ingredient number 3.

Peter Thomas Roth Even Smoother Glycolic Retinol Resurfacing Peel Pads contains this as ingredient number 3.

4
What it does: Emulsifying
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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 20

Urban Skin Clear & Even Tone Clarifying Glycolic Pads contains this as ingredient number 6.

Peter Thomas Roth Even Smoother Glycolic Retinol Resurfacing Peel Pads contains this as ingredient number 16.

5
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

Urban Skin Clear & Even Tone Clarifying Glycolic Pads contains this as ingredient number 15.

Peter Thomas Roth Even Smoother Glycolic Retinol Resurfacing Peel Pads contains this as ingredient number 9.

6
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.

Urban Skin Clear & Even Tone Clarifying Glycolic Pads contains this as ingredient number 27.

Peter Thomas Roth Even Smoother Glycolic Retinol Resurfacing Peel Pads contains this as ingredient number 14.

7
What it does: Masking, Preservative
Community Rating: Disliked

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

Sodium Benzoate is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

Learn more about Sodium Benzoate

Urban Skin Clear & Even Tone Clarifying Glycolic Pads contains this as ingredient number 31.

Peter Thomas Roth Even Smoother Glycolic Retinol Resurfacing Peel Pads contains this as ingredient number 12.

8
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Disliked

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

Potassium sorbate is potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

Potassium sorbate is often used with stronger preservatives.

Learn more about Potassium Sorbate

Urban Skin Clear & Even Tone Clarifying Glycolic Pads contains this as ingredient number 32.

Peter Thomas Roth Even Smoother Glycolic Retinol Resurfacing Peel Pads contains this as ingredient number 11.

9
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.

Urban Skin Clear & Even Tone Clarifying Glycolic Pads contains this as ingredient number 33.

Peter Thomas Roth Even Smoother Glycolic Retinol Resurfacing Peel Pads contains this as ingredient number 18.

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

55% are loved or liked
12% have mixed ratings
24% are disliked or very disliked
9% have no rating yet
44% are loved or liked
22% have mixed ratings
33% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet

Usage

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

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Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 34 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Urban Skin Clear & Even Tone Clarifying Glycolic Pads.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 35 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Peter Thomas Roth Even Smoother Glycolic Retinol Resurfacing Peel Pads.

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