Walgreens Gentle Cleanser Versus Acure Brightening Cleansing Gel
Overview
What they are
These products are both vegan and reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 8 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain PHA
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, reducing pores, scar healing and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any common allergens, oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain fragrances
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Ingredient Info
Walgreens Gentle Cleanser 30 ingredients
Acure Brightening Cleansing Gel 22 ingredients
About this product
About this product
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Walgreens Gentle Cleanser 30 ingredients
Acure Brightening Cleansing Gel 22 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingParfum
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Decyl Glucoside
CleansingCitric Acid
Buffering
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Spinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Bicarbonate
Abrasive
Medicago Sativa Extract
TonicEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCI 61570
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Decyl Glucoside, Citric Acid, Benzophenone-4, Polysorbate 20, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Gluconolactone, Panthenol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Propylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Spinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Medicago Sativa Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, CI 61570, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningLauryl Glucoside
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Potassium Olivoyl PCA
CleansingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract
AstringentRosa Canina Fruit Extract
Astringent
Punica Granatum Extract
AstringentEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Lauryl Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Gluconolactone, Parfum, Potassium Olivoyl PCA, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Alcohol, Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineGlycerin 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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumDecyl Glucoside is a glucose-based surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Surfactants help clean the skin by trapping oil, sebum, and dirt to be washed away. As an emulsion stabilizer, it stabilizes the ingredients in a product by preventing them from separating.
This ingredient is biodegradable and non-toxic. This ingredient is commonly found in baby shampoos.
Decyl Glucoside is sometimes used to stabilize the UV filter Tinosorb.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosideCitric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and even out skin tone.
If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract comes from the Chamomile flower.
Chamomile is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Several compounds found in chamomile help with soothing, such as bisbolol.
Antioxidant components in chamomile make it an effective ingredient to help slow the signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, or molecules that may damage your skin.
Essential oils from chamomile have been found to improve wound healing due to its antimicrobial properties.
Ancient Greeks and Egyptians used Chamomile to treat skin redness and dryness. Chamomile has also been used to help treat stomach issues.
Learn more about Chamomilla Recutita Flower ExtractIngredient Ratings
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When to use
Walgreens Gentle Cleanser 30 ingredients
Acure Brightening Cleansing Gel 22 ingredients
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