Ziaja Cleansing Foam Face Wash For Sensitive Skin Versus Merle Norman Anti-Redness Foaming Cleanser
Updated on June 11, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 13 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain AHA and 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, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, oils, 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 needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Ziaja Cleansing Foam Face Wash For Sensitive Skin 21 ingredients
Merle Norman Anti-Redness Foaming Cleanser 53 ingredients
About this product
About this product
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Ziaja Cleansing Foam Face Wash For Sensitive Skin 21 ingredients
Merle Norman Anti-Redness Foaming Cleanser 53 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSorbitol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
CleansingDisodium Cocoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lactate
BufferingSodium PCA
HumectantGlycine
Buffering
Fructose
HumectantUrea
Buffering
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Inositol
HumectantLactic Acid
Buffering
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Euphrasia Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialSodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
CleansingDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Coco/Isostearamide
Sea Whip Extract
Skin ConditioningChrysanthemum Parthenium Extract
Skin ConditioningAcacia Concinna Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGypsophila Paniculata Root Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Canina Flower Extract
AstringentAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAniba Rosaeodora Wood Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cananga Odorata Flower Extract
Perfuming
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion Stabilising
Citrus Grandis Seed Extract
Astringent
Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
EmollientCoffea Arabica Leaf/Seed Extract
MaskingCucumis Melo Cantalupensis Fruit Extract
AstringentCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientElettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract
Masking
Passiflora Incarnata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Protein
Skin ConditioningBalanites Aegyptiaca Fruit Extract
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentSantalum Album Wood Extract
Perfuming
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
HumectantFructose
HumectantGlycine
Buffering
Inositol
HumectantLactic Acid
Buffering
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Urea
Buffering
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingMenthyl Lactate
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Lactate
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningDiazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Coco/Isostearamide, Sea Whip Extract, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Acacia Concinna Fruit Extract, Gypsophila Paniculata Root Extract, Rosa Canina Flower Extract, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Aniba Rosaeodora Wood Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cananga Odorata Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Citrus Grandis Seed Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Coffea Arabica Leaf/Seed Extract, Cucumis Melo Cantalupensis Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract, Passiflora Incarnata Fruit Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Protein, Balanites Aegyptiaca Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Santalum Album Wood Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, Sodium PCA, Fructose, Glycine, Inositol, Lactic Acid, Niacinamide, Urea, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Menthyl Lactate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Lactate, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Tropolone, Diazolidinyl Urea, CI 42090
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 WaterGlycerin 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 GlycerinDecyl 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 GlucosideSodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and sometimes used to adjust the pH of a product.
This ingredient is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin. NMF also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.
High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.
Fun fact: Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.
Learn more about Sodium LactateSodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid. It is naturally occurring in our skin's natural moisturizing factors where it works to maintain hydration.
The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.
This ingredient has skin conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.
Learn more about Sodium PCAThis ingredient is an amino acid that helps build proteins and moisturizes skin. It is already present in our skin as our bodies produce them naturally.
Glycine already plays a role in helping keep our skin moisturized as amino acids transport moisture throughout our skin.
As collagen is made up of glycine and other amino acids, it is believed glycine may help our skin produce more collagen.
Learn more about GlycineUrea is also called carbamide and is the diamide of carbonic acid. In cosmetics, urea is used to hydrate the skin. It also provides exfoliation in higher concentrations.
As a humectant, urea helps draw moisture from the air and from deep within the skin. This helps hydrate your skin. Studies show urea is an effective moisturizer for dry skin conditions. 40% urea is typical in medications for treating eczema and other skin conditions.
Urea has the strongest exfoliation effect in concentrations higher than 10%. It is a keratolytic agent, meaning it breaks down the keratin protein in the top layer of skin. This helps remove dead skin cells and flaking skin.
In medicine, urea has been shown to help increase the potency of other ingredients, such as fungal treatments.
Humans and animals use urea to metabolize nitrogen-containing compounds. Urea is highly soluble in water. Once dissolved, it is neither acidic nor alkaline.
Learn more about UreaNiacinamide 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 NiacinamideInositol is a sugar alcohol naturally found in the human body. Our bodies use this ingredient in the process of growing new cells.
Studies show inositol to be a key component for keratinocyte growth.
Keratinocytes make up the majority of the outermost layer of skin. These cells protect our skin from UV exposure, infection, and help keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient is also considered a humectant. Humectants help hydrate the skin by drawing moisture to it.
Learn more about InositolLactic Acid is an AHA that is derived from fermenting lactose, a carbohydrate from milk. It removes the top layer of old and dead skin cells and helps increase cell turnover.
Benefits of Lactic Acid are that it can help to reduce large pores and reduce the effects of aging. Some potential downsides are that it can be bad for dry skin, cause irritation, worsen eczema, and worsen rosacea.
Not only does it help exfoliate the skin, it helps strengthen the skin's barrier. When applied, lactic acid helps the skin create ceramides.
Lactic acid is an over-the-counter chemical exfoliant that comes from the fermentation of lactose — a carbohydrate found in milk.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidSodium 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.
It 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 BenzoateCitric 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 AcidIngredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
When to use
Ziaja Cleansing Foam Face Wash For Sensitive Skin 21 ingredients
Merle Norman Anti-Redness Foaming Cleanser 53 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Ziaja Cleansing Foam Face Wash For Sensitive Skin 21 ingredients
It’s alright I guess. It’s really light and sometimes feel like it’s too light and doesn’t do anything. My skin feel a bit tight after using it
one of the best cleansers i’ve found. Works so well for me. No smell, doesn’t cause ANY irritation or breakouts, effective. it’s so simple but i love it
