Dong-A Pharmaceutical Acne Pro Gel

What is this product?

Dong-A's Acne Pro Gel pairs two exfoliating acids in one leave-on gel, which is more than most single-acid spot treatments carry, but it leads with alcohol: 변성알코올 is printed third of 36 ingredients, ahead of both actives. Salicylic acid sits seventh and glycolic acid eighteenth, with tea tree oil near the end, and Dong-A publishes no amount for any of the three.

What makes it different?

The texture comes from cellulose and acrylate gelling polymers with no emulsifier system, which is what makes this the gel of the Acne Pro pair rather than the cream sold beside it. Salicylic acid and glycolic acid together put both a lipophilic and a water soluble exfoliant in one step. No 향료 entry appears among its 36 ingredients, though the tea tree oil still carries a scent of its own. Anyone pregnant should note the salicylic acid, and anyone with skin already stinging from other actives should note where the alcohol sits.

What is in it?

The full ingredient list as the brand publishes it, in the printed order. Each name links to what we know about that ingredient.

This brand publishes its ingredient list in Korean only. Names below are the matching INCI names from the Korean Cosmetic Association ingredient dictionary.

Key ingredientWorth a closer look

• Water
• Propanediol
• Alcohol Denat.
• Ethoxydiglycol
• 1,2-Hexanediol
• Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
• Salicylic Acid
• Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
• Tromethamine
• Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer
• Betaine
• Hydroxyethylcellulose
• Lactobacillus Ferment
• Ethylhexylglycerin
• Disodium EDTA
• Butylene Glycol
• Pentylene Glycol
• Glycolic Acid
• Glycerin
• Disodium Phosphate
• Polysorbate 60
• Caprylyl Glycol
• Sodium Phosphate
• Lauryl Glucoside
• Tocopherol
• Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
• Hydrogenated Lecithin
• Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
• Dimethyl Sulfone
• Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
• Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil
• Succinic Acid
• Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract
• Poncirus Trifoliata Fruit Extract
• Saururus Chinensis Leaf/Root Extract
• Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract

Ingredients with no mark are ones we found nothing notable about, and when marks overlap on one ingredient we show the caution first.

We could not place these in the list above: Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polysorbate 60, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Salicylic Acid

Did the ad claims hold up?

We checked the one line this product advertises against the ingredient list and public documents. One of them looks likely, though none are proven outright.

Claims translated from Korean, originals preserved.

Each line is quoted as the brand published it, and each one was read on its own against the ingredient list and the documents the brand publishes.

How we read these lines