IMAGE skincare Clear Cell Medicated Acne Lotion Versus Larissa Acne Lotion

IMAGE skincare Clear Cell Medicated Acne Lotion Versus Larissa Acne Lotion

This acne moisturizer is formulated around Benzoyl Peroxide and Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil to clear breakouts and balance excess oil.

This acne treatment is formulated around Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract and Sulfur to clear breakouts and balance excess oil.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Benzoyl Peroxide 5%

Water

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Oligopeptide-10

Cetearyl Olivate

Syringa Vulgaris Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Oryza Sativa Bran Extract

Sorbitan Olivate

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract

Stearic Acid

Sucrose Cocoate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Maltodextrin

Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil

Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil

Disodium EDTA

Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil

Arnica Montana Flower Extract

Aesculus Hippocastanum Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Boswellia Serrata Extract

Honey Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Butylene Glycol

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

Hexylene Glycol

Benzoyl Peroxide 5%, Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Oligopeptide-10, Cetearyl Olivate, Syringa Vulgaris Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Sorbitan Olivate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Stearic Acid, Sucrose Cocoate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Maltodextrin, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Disodium EDTA, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Aesculus Hippocastanum Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Boswellia Serrata Extract, Honey Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol

Alcohol

PPG-20 Methyl Glucose Ether

Silica

Glycerin

Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract

Sulfur

Talc

Sodium Pg-Sulfonate

Salicylic Acid

Bentonite

Ethylhexylglycerin

DMDM Hydantoin

Piroctone Olamine

Chlorphenesin

Climbazole

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Sodium Metabisulfite

Alcohol, Water, PPG-20 Methyl Glucose Ether, Silica, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Sulfur, Talc, Sodium Pg-Sulfonate, Salicylic Acid, Bentonite, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, DMDM Hydantoin, Piroctone Olamine, Chlorphenesin, Climbazole, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Metabisulfite

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

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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