First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Polish Versus Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant Exfoliator

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Polish Versus Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant Exfoliator

This mild cream cleanser is mild enough to cleanse without leaving skin feeling tight or stripped.

This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Colloidal Oatmeal and Papain to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate

Behenyl Alcohol

Propanediol

Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Sodium Chloride

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract

Coconut Acid

Salix Alba Bark Extract

Colloidal Oatmeal

Ceramide NP

Citrus Aurantium Amara Peel Oil

Sodium Phytate

Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Rubus Occidentalis Fruit Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Glycerin

Sodium Acetate

Panthenol

Hydroxypropyl Guar

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sorbitol

Tocopherol

C12-15 Alkyl Lactate

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Lauroyl/Myristoyl Methyl Glucamide

Copernicia Cerifera Wax

Sorbic Acid

Cellulose

Lactic Acid

Phenoxyethanol

Citric Acid

Carbomer

Sodium Benzoate

Chlorphenesin

Propylene Glycol

Sodium Hydroxide

Linalool

CI 77891

Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Behenyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Sodium Chloride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Coconut Acid, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Colloidal Oatmeal, Ceramide NP, Citrus Aurantium Amara Peel Oil, Sodium Phytate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Rubus Occidentalis Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Sodium Acetate, Panthenol, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbitol, Tocopherol, C12-15 Alkyl Lactate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Lauroyl/Myristoyl Methyl Glucamide, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Sorbic Acid, Cellulose, Lactic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Carbomer, Sodium Benzoate, Chlorphenesin, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Linalool, CI 77891

Microcrystalline Cellulose

Magnesium Oxide

Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate

Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate

Oryza Sativa Bran Extract

Oryza Sativa Starch

Hydrogenated Coconut Acid

Allantoin

Papain

Salicylic Acid

Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract

PCA

Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract

Cyclodextrin

Sodium Isethionate

Lauryl Methacrylate

Maltodextrin

Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil

Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil

Sodium Dehydroacetate

Hydrolyzed Corn Starch Hydroxyethyl Ether

Limonene

Microcrystalline Cellulose, Magnesium Oxide, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Colloidal Oatmeal, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Oryza Sativa Starch, Hydrogenated Coconut Acid, Allantoin, Papain, Salicylic Acid, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, PCA, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Cyclodextrin, Sodium Isethionate, Lauryl Methacrylate, Maltodextrin, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch Hydroxyethyl Ether, Water, Limonene, Citric Acid

Reviews

Be the first to review

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.

Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.

Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.

In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.

There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.

Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.

A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.

The quality of the extract matters a lot here:

Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.

Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

According to INCI standards, this ingredient refers to the physical ground up oatmeal. If you are looking for colloidal oatmeal in skincare, you'll most likely see Avena Sativa Kernel Extract on your ingredient list.

Physical colloidal oatmeal is an abrasive meaning it provides physical exfoliation.

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract is an extract of the roots of Licorice. It has been found to have several benefits such as skin hydrating, conditioning, and soothing.

One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.

Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.

Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.

Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.

Sodium cocoyl isethionate is a natural ingredient from coconut oil. It is an ultra gentle cleanser that gives a nice foam without drying the skin or impacting the skin barrier.

The amount of foam created depends on the amount of sodium cocoyl isethionate used in the product.

This ingredient also helps improve the spreadability of a product.

This ingredient hasn’t been shown in studies to feed fungal acne yeast.

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. Remember to stay hydrated!

Similar Comparisons