Cellnique Skin Action Sebum Gel Vs B'Liv Off With Those Heads by Cellnique

Some time back, Tine quelled the fears of many when she solved the mystery of the disappearing Cellnique Pro Sebum Gel - it was being rebranded to B'Liv Off With Those Heads. So I was a little curious to find out that the Cellnique line was still around - but available only in salons - and that it had renamed its Pro Sebum gel once again to Skin Action Sebum gel. I was already on my second bottle of B'Liv and relatively happy when I was contacted by Cellnique and sent a bottle of this to try. So is there any difference between the two?

Similarities
- Both the clear gels promise to eliminate white and blackheads without squeezing.

- Both are by Cellnique

- Both have Peppermint Oil that results in a tingly cooling sensation when applied
(while I enjoy the sensation I'm not a fan of it as I believe it's unnecessarily irritating my skin).

- Both have the ingredients Witch Hazel, Aloe and Tea Tree Oil.

Differences
- Cellnique's Skin Action Sebum Gel has Hyaluronic Acid and Dryopteris filix-mas extract (say what? It looks like a fern on their site and promises to "soothe skin irritation, helps to improve skin texture, and control and prevent future breakouts").

- Price point - Cellnique is about RM159 for 30ml while B'Liv is RM139 for 30ml. B'Liv also has more discounts as it's sold in Watsons and Guardian and comes in a 50ml jar for RM189.

Comparison
It is insanely hard to be accurate and precise about the differences but in my opinion, and based on my use of both products B'Liv first and then Cellnique I'd have to say that Cellnique's offering is more effective than the B'Liv range.

First, when I switched to Cellnique within days blackheads and whiteheads started surfacing to be swept away revealing much clearer skin.

Then I suffered a bad breakout due to Eucerine's wretched product. I've gone through something similar while using B'Liv and I'm pretty sure my skin cleared and healed slightly faster with Cellnique. I'm also amazed at the lack of scarring and my skin is looking more even toned already.

The presence of Hyaluronic Acid in Cellnique's formulation also implies it's better for more mature skins as the acid is reported to have great hydrating properties.

I haven't noticed a decrease in oiliness since switching though. More's the pity.

Conclusion
Personally I may switch to Cellnique permanently once I've used up the rest of my B'liv serum as the slightly more expensive gel seems to work better for me. But if you have sensitive skin, B'Liv may just be a gentler offering that works just as well. The main drawback is how hard Cellnique is to find. I do know of a salon in Amcorp that sells it as does its website (USD55 is pricey though compared to local prices). If Cellnique doesn't get more expensive I'll very likely stick to it.

Note
I received a 30ml bottle of Cellnique's Skin Action Sebum Gel free to test. I tested it for just over a month only trying out a new product two weeks into the test. When I broke out, I stopped using the new product and went back to my regular routine with Cellnique as my only addition. I waited till my skin was clear and happy again to write this review.