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The INKEY List Succinic Acid Acne Treatment Versus Neutrogena Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne Spot Gel

The INKEY List Succinic Acid Acne Treatment Versus Neutrogena Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne Spot Gel This acne treatment is formulated around Colloidal Sulfur and Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and refine the look of pores. This acne treatment is formulated aro

The INKEY List Succinic Acid Acne Treatment Versus Neutrogena Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne Spot Gel

This acne treatment is formulated around Colloidal Sulfur and Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and refine the look of pores.

This acne treatment is formulated around Benzoyl Peroxide to clear breakouts.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Stearic Acid

Cetearyl Alcohol

Colloidal Sulfur

Glycerin

Succinic Acid

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Salicylic Acid

Phenoxyethanol

Squalane

Benzyl Alcohol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Polysorbate 60

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Hydroxide

Dehydroacetic Acid

Malachite Extract

Sorbitan Isostearate

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

CI 75810

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Colloidal Sulfur, Glycerin, Succinic Acid, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Salicylic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Squalane, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polysorbate 60, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Dehydroacetic Acid, Malachite Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, CI 75810

Benzoyl Peroxide 10%

Carbomer

Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose

Disodium EDTA

Laureth-4

Citric Acid

Benzoyl Peroxide 10%, Water, Carbomer, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Benzyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Laureth-4, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide

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.

Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.

This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.

As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.

The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.

This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.

It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.

Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.

At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

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. 03Benzoyl Peroxide (BPO) is one of the most studied and widely used acne-fighting ingredients on the market for over five decades.
  4. 04It works by releasing oxygen into your pores to kill Cutibacterium acne, or the bacteria closely linked to acne breakouts. This bacteria has a hard time surviving in an oxygen-rich environment.
  5. 05On top of that, BPO has keratolytic properties to help shed dead skin cells and keep pores from getting clogged.
  6. 06One of the coolest things about BPO is that bacteria do not develop resistance to it the way they can with antibiotics. That's why dermatologists recommend pairing it with topical antibiotics to keep resistance at bay.
  7. 07BPO is usually available in 2.5%, 5%, and 10% concentrations. Research has shown that 2.5% tends to be just as effective as the higher strengths while being more gentle on the skin.
  8. 08The FDA has classified BPO as a safe and effective acne treatment. You'll be able to find this ingredient in over-the-counter products in many countries.
  9. 09Just so you know, BPO is a known mild irritant. It's common to see dryness, peeling, and some redness when you first start using it. This usually goes away as your skin adjusts.
  10. 10A very small number of people might develop allergic contact dermatitis from it as patch test studies show positive reactions in about 1-5% of patients.
  11. 11Once BPO is absorbed into the skin, our bodies turn it into benzoic acid and quickly exits in urine. It's also worth noting that BPO will bleach fabrics and hair, so watch your towels and pillowcases!
  12. 12Decyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
  13. 13Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
  14. 14Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
  15. 15Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
  16. 16Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
  17. 17One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-fr…
  18. 18This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is not within the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
  19. 19Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  20. 20Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Source · skinsort.com
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Product index

Related product references

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The Inkey List Azelaic Acid Serum

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Comparison edit

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