Hydropeptide Exfoliating Cleanser Versus Hydropeptide Cleansing Gel

Hydropeptide Exfoliating Cleanser Versus Hydropeptide Cleansing Gel

This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Acetyl Hexapeptide-30 to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin.

This lactic acid gel cleanser is formulated around Lactic Acid to exfoliate and smooth skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine

Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate

Decyl Glucoside

Cetyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

Jojoba Esters

Glycerin

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Coco-Glucoside

Glyceryl Oleate

Glycolic Acid

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides

Citric Acid

Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide

Acetyl Hexapeptide-30

Caprylyl Glycol

Sodium Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Amaranth Protein

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

Citrus Nobilis

Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Hydrolyzed Soy Protein

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Xanthan Gum

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract

Citrus Limon Peel Extract

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract

Glyceryl Caprylate

Glyceryl Undecylenate

Sodium PCA

Sorbic Acid

Sodium Salicylate

Disodium EDTA

Limonene

Water, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Decyl Glucoside, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Jojoba Esters, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Glycolic Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides, Citric Acid, Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide, Acetyl Hexapeptide-30, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Amaranth Protein, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Sodium PCA, Sorbic Acid, Sodium Salicylate, Disodium EDTA, Limonene

Coco-Betaine

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate

Lauramidopropyl Betaine

Propanediol

Phenethyl Alcohol

Polysorbate 20

Lactic Acid

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Ethylhexylglycerin

Menthyl Ethylamido Oxalate

Allantoin

Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract

Geranium Maculatum Extract

Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Sebacic Acid

Water, Coco-Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Propanediol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Lactic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Menthyl Ethylamido Oxalate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Limonene, Allantoin, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Geranium Maculatum Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Sodium Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Amaranth Protein, Citric Acid, Sebacic Acid, Sodium Salicylate, Sorbic Acid

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide is a peptide.

Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract comes from the leaves of the tea oil plant, the cousin of the green tea plant Camellia Sinensis. This ingredient is mainly added to skincare as a mild skin-conditioning and astringent ingredient.

Early lab studies show it can calm inflammation and slightly inhibit the enzyme that triggers dark spots. Modern studies also show it to have antibacterial and antioxidant effects that support anti-inflammatory use.

There's no dedicated safety review for this ingredient for now, but its cousin Camellia Sinensis has been reviewed and found to be without safety concerns.

Like most botanical extracts, this ingredient carries a low but real chance of contact allergy or mild irritation in sensitive individuals.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract comes from the Chamomile flower.

Chamomile is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Several compounds found in chamomile help with soothing, such as bisbolol.

Antioxidant components in chamomile make it an effective ingredient to help slow the signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, or molecules that may damage your skin.

Essential oils from chamomile have been found to improve wound healing due to its antimicrobial properties.

Ancient Greeks and Egyptians used Chamomile to treat skin redness and dryness. Chamomile has also been used to help treat stomach issues.

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.

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract comes from the peels of the bitter orange. This orange is native to Southeast Asia. It is commonly used in foods such as marmalade.

Citrus peels are often made up of mainly limonene. Limonene is a fragrance with a citrus scent. They also contain flavonoids, which have anti-inflammatory properties.

Citrus Limon Peel Extract is created from the peel of a lemon. Lemon peels contain Vitamin C. Lemon peels also exhibit antibacterial, antioxidant, and antifungal properties.

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate is a natural preservative. It comes from fermenting radish roots with a bacteria called leuconostoc. The trade name for this ingredient is Leucidal.

Leuconostoc comes from lactic acid.

This ingredient has antimicrobial properties and helps prevent the growth of bacteria in a product.

Leuconostoc is used to make the traditional Korean side-dish, kimchi. It is also used to make sourdough bread (both incredibly yummy foods).

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.

We don't have a description for Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides yet.

We don't have a description for Sodium Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Amaranth Protein yet.

This ingredient is the sodium salt of salicylic acid, the famous anti-acne ingredient.

Officially, this ingredient is used as a preservative. However, some studies found Sodium Salicylate to have exfoliating properties. Further studies are needed.

Sorbic Acid is a preservative that stops your product from spoiling by stopping microbes from growing.

As a preservative, it's kind of a specialist: it has a broad spectrum of activity against yeast and molds but is weaker against bacteria. That's why it's often paired with another preservative to cover that gap.

This ingredient is also pretty picky about pH; it performs best at pH 6.5 or below.

At the right pH level, sorbic acid is "active" and can slip through the outer wall of a microbe. Once inside, it turns the cell's interior more acidic to shut down the microbe from the inside.

The EU caps this ingredient at 0.6% while the CIR has concluded it's safe at concentrations up to 1%. It's most often used around 0.05-0.2% in cosmetics.

Though this ingredient is considered low-sensitizing and well-tolerated, a very small number of people may have a contact allergy to it. Be sure to patch test if you have a history of allergies towards preservatives.

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!

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