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Starface Star Wash + Salicylic Acid Gentle Foaming Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Clear Pore Normalizing Cleanser

Starface Star Wash + Salicylic Acid Gentle Foaming Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Clear Pore Normalizing Cleanser This salicylic acid foaming cleanser is formulated around Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and unclog pores. This salicylic acid gel cleanser is

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Starface Star Wash + Salicylic Acid Gentle Foaming Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Clear Pore Normalizing Cleanser

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

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

Sodium Cocoyl Methyl Isethionate

Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate

Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate

Acrylates Copolymer

Glycerin

Lauramidopropyl Betaine

Gluconolactone

Sodium Chloride

Sodium Benzoate

Salicylic Acid

Sodium Phytate

Sodium Hydroxide

Hyaluronic Acid

Calcium Silicate

Mica

Calcium Gluconate

Tin Oxide

CI 77510

Titanium Dioxide

Water, Sodium Cocoyl Methyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Acrylates Copolymer, Glycerin, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Gluconolactone, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hydroxide, Hyaluronic Acid, Calcium Silicate, Mica, Calcium Gluconate, Tin Oxide, CI 77510, Titanium Dioxide

Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate

Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer

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

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.

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.

Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is a well-known ingredient for treating skin that struggles with acne and clogged pores. It exfoliates both the skin's surface and deep within the pores to help clear out buildup, control oil, and reduce inflammation.

Unlike AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble. This allows it to penetrate into pores which makes it especially effective for treating blackheads and preventing future breakouts.

Salicylic acid is also known for its soothing properties. It has a similar structure to aspirin and can calm inflamed or irritated skin, making it a good option for acne-prone skin that is also sensitive.

Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.

It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing this ingredient into your routine.

While salicylic acid does not increase sun sensitivity, it’s still important to wear sunscreen daily to protect your skin.

If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.

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.

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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. 06Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
  7. 07Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
  8. 08It plays several roles in a formula:
  9. 09Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
  10. 10Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
  11. 11However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
  12. 12Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
  13. 13Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
  14. 14Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
  15. 15This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
  16. 16A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
  17. 17Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  18. 18Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  19. 19Your 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.
  20. 20Aquaporin-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.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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