Acne Control Gel vs Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution
Ingredient-by-ingredient comparison of CeraVe Acne Control Gel and Kiehl's Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution: shared ingredients, what's different, and any flagged irritants or fragrance allergens in either formula. Compare two other products or sign in to check both against your own allergen profile.
Acne Control Gel
CeraVe
- Ingredients
- 23
- Flagged
- 1
Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution
Kiehl's
- Ingredients
- 11
- Flagged
- 1
Similar flagged-ingredient count
CeraVe Acne Control Gel and Kiehl's Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution both carry 1 flagged ingredient — a similar risk profile on paper, though the specific ingredients differ (see below).
Flagged irritants and allergens
Acne Control Gel (1)
Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution (1)
In both products (6 shared)
Only in one product
Only in Acne Control Gel 17
Only in Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution 5
About this facial treatment comparison
CeraVe Acne Control Gel and Kiehl's Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution are both facial treatments, which makes them a fair side-by-side comparison — same product type, different formulas. CeraVe Acne Control Gel lists 23 ingredients (1 flagged), while Kiehl's Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution lists 11 (1 flagged). Searching "Acne Control Gel vs Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution" or "Acne Control Gel vs Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution ingredients" usually means wanting to know exactly this — what's the same, what's different, and whether one is meaningfully safer.
The two formulas overlap on 6 ingredients, which is common for two facial treatments aimed at similar skin concerns — shared base ingredients like humectants or emulsifiers show up across most facial treatment formulas in this category, regardless of brand. What usually decides which one is the better fit is the 17 ingredients unique to one side, not the shared base.
Neither CeraVe nor Kiehl's sponsors this comparison — the ingredient data comes directly from AllerNote's product catalog, the same source used on each product's own page (CeraVe Acne Control Gel and Kiehl's Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution). For a personalized read against your own patch-test results or allergen list, sign in before comparing.
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Sign in and add your allergens to see which of these ingredients matches your specific profile — not just common irritants.
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Frequently asked questions
Is CeraVe Acne Control Gel or Kiehl's Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution better for sensitive skin?
Both have 1 flagged ingredient — check the categories above, since not all flags matter equally for every skin type. Sign in and add your allergens for a personalized read.
What ingredients do Acne Control Gel and Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution have in common?
6 shared ingredients, including active ingredients: salicylic acid 2% inactive ingredients: water, caprylyl glycol, glycerin, among others. See the full "In both products" table above.
Is Acne Control Gel a dupe for Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution, or the other way around?
They share 6 of 23 ingredients (roughly 26% overlap on the larger list) — similar enough to be considered comparable facial treatments, but with real formula differences. Check "Only in one product" above for what sets them apart before calling one a dupe for the other.
Can I use CeraVe Acne Control Gel and Kiehl's Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution together in the same routine?
That depends on the specific actives in each — this page shows ingredient overlap and flags, not layering guidance. For active-ingredient conflicts (e.g. retinoids with acids), use AllerNote's ingredient conflict checker at /tools/ingredient-conflicts.
Which has more ingredients, Acne Control Gel or Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution?
Acne Control Gel lists 23 ingredients; Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution lists 11. Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution has the shorter list — though ingredient count alone doesn't determine gentleness; what's flagged matters more than how many ingredients are listed.
Is this comparison based on real product data?
Yes. Both ingredient lists come from AllerNote's product catalog, not third-party claims — the same data source behind each product's individual page.