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Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment Ingredients Explained

4.8   (18 ratings)
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Updated May 16, 2024

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Overview

What it is

Facial treatment with 8 ingredients that contains retinoid

Cool Features

It is fungal acne (malassezia) safe

Suited For

It has ingredients that are good for fighting acne and anti aging

Free From

It doesn't contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, silicones or sulfates

Fun facts

Differin is from United States. This product is used in 2224 routines created by our community.

We independently verify ingredients and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Does this product need an update? Let us know.

Facial treatment with 8 ingredients that contains retinoid

Quick info

You should know

Notable Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients 8

Adapalene
Retinoid IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps fight Acne IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon
RetinoidRetinoid Icon 2 Benefits 2 Concerns

Adapalene is a type of retinoid and common acne treatment.

Carbomer Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming
1 / 0

Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.

1 Com. / 0 Irr.
Disliked Full details ->
Disodium EDTA

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

Disliked Full details ->
Methylparaben Preservative
0 / 0 Preservative IconParaben IconNon-Reef-Safe IconMay worsen Eczema Icon
PreservativePreservative Icon ParabenParaben Icon 2 Concerns

Methylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.

0 Com. / 0 Irr.
Very Disliked Full details ->
Poloxamer 182 Emulsifying

We don't have a description for Poloxamer 182 yet.

Unknown Full details ->
Propylene Glycol Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
0 / 0 May worsen Eczema Icon
May worsen EczemaMay worsen Eczema Icon

Propylene Glycol is an odorless, colorless liquid. As a humectant, it helps skin retain moisture. It also aids in delivering active ingredients.

0 Com. / 0 Irr.
Disliked Full details ->
Water Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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.

Sodium Hydroxide Buffering

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.

Ingredient Ratings

Based on the number of likes and dislikes each ingredient has received.

2
1
4
1
liked
mixed
disliked
not rated

Ingredients Explained

This product contains 8 ingredients. Click on any ingredient to learn more about it
Liked

Adapalene is a type of retinoid and common acne treatment.

It has been found to be as effective as other retinoids while causing less irritation.

Retinoids are the gold-standard for anti-aging due to the decades of research backing up their benefits:

You can buy adapalene over the counter, or in-store, in concentrations of 0.1% in gel form. 0.1% lotion or cream and 0.3% gel are only available with a prescription.

Learn more about Adapalene
Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming
Disliked

Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.

Carbomer is commonly found in many types of cosmetics products. It is found to be safe in concentrations up to 15%. However, a high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Most products contain 1% of less of carbomer.

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
Preservative
Very Disliked

Methylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.

Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.

Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.

The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.

Learn more about Methylparaben
Emulsifying

We don't have a description for Poloxamer 182 yet.

Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Disliked

Propylene Glycol is an odorless, colorless liquid. As a humectant, it helps skin retain moisture. It also aids in delivering active ingredients.

Another role of this ingredient is preventing a product from melting or freezing. Propylene glycol also adds antimicrobrial properties to a product, elongating product lifespan.

This ingredient is considered an organic alcohol and commonly added into both cosmetics and foods.

Those with sensitive skin or conditions may deliver a rash when using this ingredient.

Learn more about Propylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning, Solvent
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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Buffering
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

Reviews

4.8
from 18 ratings
Absorbs Well (5) Works Well (5) Light (4)
jazzzzz1's avatar

jazzzzz1

9 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

I've been using this on and off for around 2 years. I thought this was going to help my acne, but looking back at pictures I actually think it's...

I've been using this on and off for around 2 years. I thought this was going to help my acne, but looking back at pictures I actually think it's made my acne worse! It's made my acne areas really inflamed and red with angry spots. Think it's time to cut it out of my routine... Given it 2 stars as it soaks in pretty fast and is hydrating.

BrittBrine's avatar

BrittBrine

11 months ago · Sensitive Skin
Review

This has probably been the product that has made the most difference in my skin. It's clearing up breakouts and acne that I've had for the longest...

This has probably been the product that has made the most difference in my skin. It's clearing up breakouts and acne that I've had for the longest time. My skin looks and feels so much better and I've only been using it for about 2-3 months now.

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