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Skin science article

mineaderm Tea Tree Face Wash Versus CeraVe Acne Control Cleanser

mineaderm Tea Tree Face Wash Versus CeraVe Acne Control Cleanser This mild gel cleanser is mild enough to cleanse without leaving skin feeling tight or stripped. This salicylic acid gel cleanser is formulated around Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and unclog

mineaderm Tea Tree Face Wash Versus CeraVe Acne Control Cleanser

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

This salicylic acid gel cleanser is formulated around Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and unclog pores.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate

Lauryl Glucoside

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Glycerin

Coco-Glucoside

Glyceryl Oleate

Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil

Sodium PCA

Panthenol

Polysorbate 20

Bisabolol

PEG/PPG-120/10 Trimethylolpropane Trioleate

Laureth-2

Tocopherol

Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide

Phenoxyethanol

Benzoic Acid

Citric Acid

Water, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Lauryl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Polysorbate 20, Bisabolol, PEG/PPG-120/10 Trimethylolpropane Trioleate, Laureth-2, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid

Salicylic Acid 2%

Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate

Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine

Niacinamide

Gluconolactone

Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate

PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Carbomer

Calcium Gluconate

Triethyl Citrate

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Cholesterol

Tetrasodium EDTA

Caprylyl Glycol

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Xanthan Gum

Hectorite

Phytosphingosine

Salicylic Acid 2%, Water, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Gluconolactone, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Calcium Gluconate, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Hectorite, Phytosphingosine, Benzoic Acid

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Benzoic Acid is an organic acid that shows up in cosmetics as a preservative. It helps keep a product from spoiling by holding back the growth of yeast, mold, and some bacteria.

This ingredient also functions as a fragrance ingredient that helps mask the unpleasant scent of other ingredients.

The way it works is worth understanding; benzoic acid works when the formula is acidic. It is able to sneak into a microbe's cell and mess up how it functions to stop it from growing in an acidic product.

However, the acid switches to an inactive form and stops working if a product isn't acidic enough (above ~5 pH). This is why you'll often see it in low pH products or teamed up with other preservatives to cover the gap.

Safety wise, it's one of the better studied preservatives out there.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%.

A large international review found this ingredient had no effects on the human body and had low irritation potential.

Just so you know, real world use is usually much lower than the 5% ceiling (usually 1% of less).

The EU caps it at 2.5% in rinse-off products, 1.7% in oral care, and 0.5% in leave-on products.

One thing worth mentioning (it's nothing to worry about): some people get a little stinging or flushing where they apply it. This isn't a true allergy; it's a temporary and harmless reaction. This is the same kind of mild tingle you might notice from sorbic acid.

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.

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

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

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Side-by-side

  1. 01Water
  2. 02Cocamidopropyl Betaine
  3. 03Glycerin
  4. 04Decyl Glucoside
  5. 05Lauryl Glucoside
  6. 06Xanthan Gum
  7. 07Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
  8. 08Fomes Officinalis Extract
  9. 09Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
  10. 10Panthenol
  11. 11Disodium EDTA
  12. 12Hamamelis Virginiana Water
  13. 13Citric Acid
  14. 14Alcohol
  15. 15Butylene Glycol
  16. 16Potassium Sorbate
  17. 17Phenoxyethanol
  18. 18Ethylhexylglycerin
  19. 19Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Fomes Officinalis Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Citric Acid, A…
  20. 20Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

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Kiehl’s Men's Face And Body Wash

Kiehl’s Men's Face And Body Wash Kiehl’s Men's Face And Body Wash ingredients explained: Aqua/Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Sod…

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Face Reality Acne Face And Body Wash

Face Reality Acne Face And Body Wash Face Reality Acne Face And Body Wash ingredients explained: Benzoyl Peroxide (2.5%), Purified Water, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Glycerin, Disodium Cocoamp…

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03

Comparison edit

Read side by side