Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Paula's Choice Clear Pore Normalizing Cleanser Versus Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel

Paula's Choice Clear Pore Normalizing Cleanser Versus Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel 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-si

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Paula's Choice Clear Pore Normalizing Cleanser Versus Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel

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

Salicylic Acid

Water

Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate

Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer

Glycerin

PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate

Sodium Laureth Sulfate

Arginine

Butylene Glycol

PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate

Panthenol

Disodium EDTA

Citric Acid

PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Sodium Citrate

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

Chlorphenesin

Salicylic Acid, Water, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer, Glycerin, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Arginine, Butylene Glycol, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin

Zinc Coceth Sulfate

Lauryl Betaine

Decyl Glucoside

Ceteareth-60 Myristyl Glycol

Polysorbate 20

Parfum

CI 61570

Isopropyl Alcohol

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

PEG-6

PPG-26-Buteth-26

Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract

Sodium Benzoate

Sodium Chloride

Sodium Hydroxide

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

CI 19140

Zinc Gluconate

Water, Zinc Coceth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, Ceteareth-60 Myristyl Glycol, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Polysorbate 20, Citric Acid, Parfum, CI 61570, Isopropyl Alcohol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG-6, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, CI 19140, Zinc Gluconate

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.

PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate is a synthetic, water-soluble surfactant and emulsifier.

It's a "superfatting" agent that helps replenish some of your skin's oils after they're stripped away by other surfactants.

This is why "gentle" and "moisturizing" cleansers feel less stripping than basic ones.

Typical concentrations range from 1-10% and it has a solid safety record. The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe at concentrations up to 10% in leave-on products.

Dermal application tests at 50% also did not produce irritation in two studies.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe and in vitro studies have shown Malassezia can metabolize it.

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 Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
  4. 04Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
  5. 05Though 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.
  6. 06C13-15 Alkane is a group of alkanes with 13 to 15 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain.
  7. 07It is a solvent and texture enhancer. Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
  8. 08Caprylic/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.
  9. 09Though 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.
  10. 10In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
  11. 11While 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.
  12. 12Fractionated 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.
  13. 13This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
  14. 14This 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…
  15. 15Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
  16. 16Like 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.
  17. 17However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
  18. 18Due 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.
  19. 19In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
  20. 20While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side

Continue reading

Related articles