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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Cleanser versus Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Lactic Acid Cleanser .

Published on June 03, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 11 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, parabens or silicones

What's Inside

They both contain common allergens, fragrances and sulfates

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

Face Cleanser American Brand United States
Face Cleanser American Brand United States

Face Cleanser

Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).

Face Cleanser

Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).

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

BHA
Vitamin E
Niacinamide

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin (2)
Redness Reducing
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Dark Spots (2)
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (4)

Concerns

Drying (2)
Irritating (2)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (3)

Notable Ingredients

AHA
Vitamin E

Benefits

Hydrating
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (3)
Rosacea
Eczema (2)
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Ingredients Compared

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

Water • Sodium Laureth Sulfate • Acrylates Copolymer • Jojoba Esters • Glycerin • Cocamidopropyl Betaine • Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate • Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine • Sodium Hydroxide • Cellulose • Mannitol • Caprylyl Alcohol • Niacin • Ammonium Lactate • Salicylic Acid • Disodium EDTA • Tocopheryl Acetate • Parfum • Limonene • Linalool • Niacinamide • Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose • Sodium PCA • Biosaccharide Gum-1 • Ethylhexylglycerin • Hexylene Glycol • Butylene Glycol • Phenoxyethanol • CI 77289

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

ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 1.

Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Lactic Acid Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Cleansing, Emulsifying, Foaming
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a foaming, cleansing, and emulsifying ingredient. It is created from palm kernel oil or coconut oil. SLES is not the same as sodium lauryl sulfate. It is much milder and less likely to irritate.

SLES helps create foam in personal products. It also prevents ingredients from separating, helping to elongate the shelf life.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a type of sulfate. It can be drying. We recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have concerns.

Learn more about Sodium Laureth Sulfate

ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 2.

Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Lactic Acid Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Cleansing
Community Rating: Disliked

Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine. Dimethylaminopropylamine is a diamine, an amine with two amino groups.

Cocamidopropyl Betaine 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 Betaine

ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 6.

Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Lactic Acid Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 5.

4
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

ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 9.

Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Lactic Acid Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 10.

5
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA

ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 16.

Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Lactic Acid Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 11.

6
What it does: Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.

One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.

Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.

Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate

ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 17.

Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Lactic Acid Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 9.

7
What it does: Perfuming, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.

It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".

Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.

When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.

The term '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.

Learn more about Limonene

ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 19.

Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Lactic Acid Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 20.

8
What it does: Perfuming
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Linalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.

Linalool has the same effect as Limonene when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.

Linalool has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.

Learn more about Linalool

ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 20.

Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Lactic Acid Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 21.

9
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.

ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 25.

Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Lactic Acid Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 14.

10
What it does: Emulsifying, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Disliked

Hexylene Glycol is a surfactant. Glycols are a class of alcohols. Hexylene Glycol is a surfactant and emulsifier.

As a surfactant, Hexylene Glycol helps gather dirt and oil on your skin to be washed away.

As an emulsifier, Hexylene Glycol helps keep water and oil together. This prevents them from separating in a product. Hexylene Glycol also thins out the texture of a product by lessening viscosity.

Hexylene Glycol has a small molecular weight.

Learn more about Hexylene Glycol

ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 26.

Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Lactic Acid Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 15.

11
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.

ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 28.

Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Lactic Acid Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 12.

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

34% are loved or liked
10% have mixed ratings
45% are disliked or very disliked
10% have no rating yet
13% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
60% are disliked or very disliked
13% 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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