Isispharma Teen Derm A.Z Versus Geek & Gorgeous aPAD 20% Azeclair Serum

Isispharma Teen Derm A.Z Versus Geek & Gorgeous aPAD 20% Azeclair Serum

This acne treatment is formulated around Azelaic Acid and Boswellia Serrata Extract to clear breakouts and calm redness.

This calming serum is formulated around Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate to calm redness and balance excess oil.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Azelaic Acid

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Pentylene Glycol

Butyl Avocadate

Glycerin

Dipropylene Glycol

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Xylitylglucoside

Lauryl Glucoside

Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate

Anhydroxylitol

Xylitol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sclerotium Gum

Chlorphenesin

Boswellia Serrata Extract

O-Cymen-5-Ol

Polysorbate 60

Sorbitan Isostearate

Sodium Hydroxide

Citric Acid

Tocopherol

Water, Azelaic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Butyl Avocadate, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xylitylglucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sclerotium Gum, Chlorphenesin, Boswellia Serrata Extract, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Tocopherol

Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate

Propanediol

Methyl Gluceth-20

Allantoin

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Xanthan Gum

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Propanediol, Glycerin, Methyl Gluceth-20, Allantoin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

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.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.

Topically, glycerin does several things at once:

Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.

Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.

This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.

Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

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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