Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser Versus Sesderma Salises Dermatological Bar

The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser Versus Sesderma Salises Dermatological Bar This salicylic acid gel cleanser is formulated around Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and unclog pores. This salicylic acid foaming cleanser is formulated around Salicylic Acid

The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser Versus Sesderma Salises Dermatological Bar

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

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Propanediol

Glycerin

Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate

Salicylic Acid

PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate

PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides

Betaine

Zinc PCA

Phenoxyethanol

Sodium Chloride

Allantoin

Sodium Hydroxide

Coco-Glucoside

Glyceryl Oleate

Benzyl Alcohol

Coconut Acid

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Benzoate

Citric Acid

Dehydroacetic Acid

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Tocopherol

Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate

Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Salicylic Acid, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Betaine, Zinc PCA, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Allantoin, Sodium Hydroxide, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Benzyl Alcohol, Coconut Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate

Zea Mays Starch

Potassium Lauryl Sulfate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Parfum

Paraffinum Liquidum

Potassium Phosphate

CI 77891

Linalool

Amyl Cinnamal

Hexyl Cinnamal

Limonene

Eugenol

Zea Mays Starch, Potassium Lauryl Sulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Water, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glycerin, Salicylic Acid, Parfum, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Potassium Phosphate, CI 77891, Linalool, Amyl Cinnamal, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Eugenol

Reviews

Be the first to review

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.

This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.

Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.

While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.

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.

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. 06Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
  7. 07Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
  8. 08It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
  9. 09Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
  10. 10A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
  11. 11Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  12. 12Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  13. 13Your 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.
  14. 14Aquaporin-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.
  15. 15This 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.
  16. 16Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  17. 17Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  18. 18Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
  19. 19It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
  20. 20On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

The Inkey List Retinol

The Inkey List Retinol The Inkey List Retinol ingredients explained: Water (Aqua/Eau), Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Tocopherol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →

Product

The Inkey List Retinol Eye Cream

The Inkey List Retinol Eye Cream The Inkey List Retinol Eye Cream ingredients explained: Water (Aqua/Eau), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentaerythrityl Distearat…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side