Medik8 Gentle Cleanse Versus Hydropeptide Cleansing Gel

Medik8 Gentle Cleanse Versus Hydropeptide Cleansing Gel

This gel cleanser uses mild cleansing ingredients, but contains alcohol that may feel drying for some.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

No key ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Glycerin

Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate

Sodium Cocoamphoacetate

Coco-Glucoside

Decyl Glucoside

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract

Benzyl Alcohol

Citric Acid

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil

Phenoxyethanol

Dehydroacetic Acid

Sodium Benzoate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Coco-Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin

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

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

Sebacic Acid

Sodium Salicylate

Sorbic 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.

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.

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