Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Zelens PHA+ Resurfacing Essence versus U beauty Resurfacing Compound .
Published on August 14, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 5 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain AHA and PHA
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances and oils
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
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.
Serum
Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.
Ingredient Info
Zelens PHA+ Resurfacing Essence 27 ingredients
U beauty Resurfacing Compound 33 ingredients
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
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 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
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 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Zelens PHA+ Resurfacing Essence 27 ingredients
U beauty Resurfacing Compound 33 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 3 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:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Benefits
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient 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 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Zelens PHA+ Resurfacing Essence 27 ingredients
U beauty Resurfacing Compound 33 ingredients
Water • Glycerin • Propanediol • Lactobionic Acid • Sodium Lactate • Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil • Palm Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters • Salicylic Acid • Citric Acid • Lactic Acid • Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract • Niacinamide • Perilla Frutescens Leaf Extract • Bromelain • Papain • Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract • Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract • Saccharomyces Ferment Lysate Filtrate • Polydextrose • Amylopectin • Dextrin • Fructose • Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate • Glucose • Benzyl Alcohol • Potassium Sorbate • Sodium Benzoate
Water • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder • Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate • Dimethyl Sulfone • Citric Acid • Polysorbate 20 • Glycerin • Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract • Sodium Hyaluronate • Glycolic Acid • Superoxide Dismutase • Lactobionic Acid • Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid • Glutathione • Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil • Mandelic Acid • Linoleic Acid • Retinyl Palmitate • Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil • Oleic Acid • Palmitic Acid • Stearic Acid • Tocopherol • Linolenic Acid • Xanthan Gum • Pentylene Glycol • Butylene Glycol • Methyldihydrojasmonate • Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid • Caprylyl Glycol • N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate • Benzyl Alcohol • Dehydroacetic Acid
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.
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 WaterZelens PHA+ Resurfacing Essence contains this as ingredient number 1.
U beauty Resurfacing Compound contains this as ingredient number 1.
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 GlycerinZelens PHA+ Resurfacing Essence contains this as ingredient number 2.
U beauty Resurfacing Compound contains this as ingredient number 7.
Lactobionic Acid is a PHA. PHAs exfoliate the top layer of 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.
By removing dead skin cells, PHAs leave the skin brighter and with even-texture.
PHAs also exhibit antioxidant activity by neutralizing free-radical molecules. This can help with anti-aging.
Learn more about Lactobionic AcidZelens PHA+ Resurfacing Essence contains this as ingredient number 4.
U beauty Resurfacing Compound contains this as ingredient number 12.
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
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.
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 look more even.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidZelens PHA+ Resurfacing Essence contains this as ingredient number 9.
U beauty Resurfacing Compound contains this as ingredient number 5.
Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.
Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholZelens PHA+ Resurfacing Essence contains this as ingredient number 25.
U beauty Resurfacing Compound contains this as ingredient number 32.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Zelens PHA+ Resurfacing Essence 27 ingredients
U beauty Resurfacing Compound 33 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Zelens PHA+ Resurfacing Essence 27 ingredients
U beauty Resurfacing Compound 33 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Zelens PHA+ Resurfacing Essence 27 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 25 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Zelens PHA+ Resurfacing Essence.
See 25 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 8 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to U beauty Resurfacing Compound.
See 8 alternatives