Verified Beauty Data

Dupe report Nº 003 / AHA + BHA exfoliating serums

Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos dupes, ranked by formula match

Cheap actives. Premium price. The brand collapsed. The dupes were always there.

Some links earn us a commission. It never changes the verdict — the methodology is public.

02 / The scoreboard

Seven formulas, three numbers that matter

Read the actives column first — it is the apples-to-apples comparison. $ per gram of active is what the working ingredients cost you; the base-formula score is supporting evidence, not the verdict.

Product Actives vs original $ / g of active Price Base formula Verdict
Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum Disclosed by brand $23.08 $90.00 30 mL 100% the reference The original
Same three actives percentages differ or are undisclosed
Pixi Clarity Concentrate Disclosed by brand — not disclosed $24.00 30 mL 22% highest measured The winner Amazon →
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution From retailer listing $1.00 $9.50 30 mL 20% Skip price on Amazon
Facile Clear Blemish Serum 10% AHA + BHA Disclosed by brand $12.67 $38.00 30 mL 19% Skip price on Amazon
Good Molecules Overnight Exfoliating Treatment From retailer listing — not disclosed $6.00 30 mL 17% Best budget Amazon →
Partial overlap missing actives — different formula wearing the keywords
Pixi Glow Tonic Serum Exfoliating Radiance Serum From retailer listing — not disclosed $24.00 30 mL 11% Skip price on Amazon
Naturium BHA Liquid Exfoliant 2% From retailer listing $8.03 $18.99 118 mL 7% Skip price on Amazon

✓ same % as original ≠ different % ? in formula, % undisclosed — not in formula

03 / The original

Why the original is the original

The formula is a 12% AHA blend — glycolic acid as the lead acid, with lactic acid and citric acid supporting — plus 1% salicylic acid (BHA) to work inside pores. That is the whole thing. Glycolic acid is the smallest AHA molecule, which means the deepest surface penetration: it loosens the bonds holding dead cells at the skin's surface, accelerating cell turnover and improving tone and texture. Lactic acid works similarly but is larger and milder. Citric acid is a chelating agent and minor exfoliant. Salicylic acid is oil-soluble — it cuts through sebum into the follicle — making this a rare formula that addresses both surface texture and pore congestion simultaneously.

None of those actives are expensive. Glycolic acid is a commodity. Salicylic acid is a commodity. The raspberry extract in the name is a marketing flourish — fruit extracts this far down an INCI list do no measurable exfoliating work. What Drunk Elephant charged $90 for was a brand story, a cult community, and a serum that genuinely works — not because the chemistry is novel, but because the chemistry is correct. AHAs at an effective pH, with BHA, leave-on overnight, works.

Then Drunk Elephant collapsed. A 65% revenue decline in 2025 followed the brand's viral social implosion. Shiseido acquired them in 2023 for $845 million; by 2025 the brand had lost much of its core audience. The formula was never magic — it was glycolic acid at 12%, a number you can find at a fraction of the cost. This page exists because the actives were always the point, and the actives have always had cheaper homes.

04 / The candidates

Every candidate, examined

01 / Pixi

The winner
Pixi Clarity Concentrate bottle
— per g of active
$24.00 retail · 30 mL
22% base formula · highest of 6

Pixi Clarity Concentrate

Shared formula DNA 8 of 32 original ingredients present
Water Glycolic Acid Butylene Glycol Glycerin Salicylic Acid Lactic Acid Citric Acid Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Juice Extract Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) Seed Extract Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract Buddleja Davidii Meristem Cell Culture Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer Allantoin Hydroxyethylcellulose Galactoarabinan Propanediol Disodium EDTA Xanthan Gum Hexylene Glycol Phenoxyethanol Caprylyl Glycol Ethylhexylglycerin Sodium Hydroxide Sodium Nitrate Potassium Sorbate Pentylene Glycol Sodium Benzoate

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
All three reference acids present — glycolic, salicylic, and lactic — in the same leave-on serum format. 8 of the original's 32 ingredients shared, including aloe juice, sodium hydroxide, and the same preservative pairing (phenoxyethanol + ethylhexylglycerin). The acid trio is confirmed in-INCI; percentages are undisclosed.
What differs
No active percentages disclosed, so we cannot confirm the original's 12% glycolic / 1% salicylic. Pixi adds niacinamide and botanical extracts (rosemary, thyme, licorice root) that are not in the original. The formula leans toward brightening tone as well as exfoliating — a wider mandate than the Framboos.
Who it's for
The winner. All three reference acids at $24 — $66 less than the original — in a formula that shares key delivery ingredients and the same overnight leave-on use case. If you used Framboos for texture and tone and want the same acid trio without the brand tax, this is the pick.
Ships in
Packaging not verified No brand or retailer statement on the bottle — we won’t guess.
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
Disclosed by brand Percentages published by Pixi on their product page.

$24.00 for 30 mL → — not disclosed: the brand doesn't state active percentages, so this number cannot honestly exist.

Buy on Amazon $14.90 Amazon price as of 2026-06-13; $24.00 direct retail.

02 / The Ordinary

Skip
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution bottle
$1.00 per g of active
$9.50 retail · 30 mL
20% base formula · 2nd of 6

The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution

Shared formula DNA 8 of 32 original ingredients present
Water Glycolic Acid Butylene Glycol Glycerin Salicylic Acid Lactic Acid Citric Acid Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Juice Extract Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) Seed Extract Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract Buddleja Davidii Meristem Cell Culture Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer Allantoin Hydroxyethylcellulose Galactoarabinan Propanediol Disodium EDTA Xanthan Gum Hexylene Glycol Phenoxyethanol Caprylyl Glycol Ethylhexylglycerin Sodium Hydroxide Sodium Nitrate Potassium Sorbate Pentylene Glycol Sodium Benzoate

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
Glycolic acid (30%) and salicylic acid (2%) both disclosed. Lactic acid present in INCI but undisclosed. Shares 8 of the original's 32 ingredients including Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer — the same high-molecular-weight HA the original uses.
What differs
Critical format difference: The Ordinary Peeling Solution is a rinse-off mask — not a leave-on night serum. Glycolic is 30% versus the original's 12%, and salicylic is 2% versus 1%. Both acids run hotter than Framboos. Use it wrong and you will irritate your skin.
Who it's for
Worth a look — but for experienced acid users only, and only if you read the instructions. At $9.50 it is the cheapest disclosed-percentage option here. A 4.4-star average across 4,243 Amazon ratings. Do not sleep in it.
Ships in
Packaging not verified No brand or retailer statement on the bottle — we won’t guess.
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
From retailer listing Ingredients and percentages from the product's Ulta listing.

$9.50 for 30 mL → $1.00 per gram of active — 23.0× cheaper per active gram than the original's $23.08.

price on Amazon ($9.50) — not recommended as a dupe

03 / Facile

Skip
Facile Clear Blemish Serum 10% AHA + BHA bottle
$12.67 per g of active
$38.00 retail · 30 mL
19% base formula · 3rd of 6

Facile Clear Blemish Serum 10% AHA + BHA

Shared formula DNA 8 of 32 original ingredients present
Water Glycolic Acid Butylene Glycol Glycerin Salicylic Acid Lactic Acid Citric Acid Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Juice Extract Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) Seed Extract Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract Buddleja Davidii Meristem Cell Culture Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer Allantoin Hydroxyethylcellulose Galactoarabinan Propanediol Disodium EDTA Xanthan Gum Hexylene Glycol Phenoxyethanol Caprylyl Glycol Ethylhexylglycerin Sodium Hydroxide Sodium Nitrate Potassium Sorbate Pentylene Glycol Sodium Benzoate

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
Discloses 7% glycolic acid and 3% lactic acid — two of the three reference acids with actual percentages. All three acids (glycolic, salicylic, lactic) are confirmed in-INCI. 8 of the original's 32 base ingredients shared, including allantoin, propanediol, and pentylene glycol.
What differs
Glycolic (7%) runs lower than the original's 12%. Salicylic percentage is undisclosed. At $38.00 for 30 mL it costs more than Pixi Clarity Concentrate with a lower score.
Who it's for
Worth a look if you want partial percentage transparency and a gentler glycolic (7% vs 12%). Sensitive skin types who found Framboos too strong might land here. Otherwise, Pixi Clarity Concentrate is the stronger pick at a lower price.
Ships in
Packaging not verified No brand or retailer statement on the bottle — we won’t guess.
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
Disclosed by brand Percentages published by Facile on their product page.

$38.00 for 30 mL → $12.67 per gram of active — 1.8× cheaper per active gram than the original's $23.08.

price on Amazon ($38.00) — not recommended as a dupe

04 / Good Molecules

Best budget
Good Molecules Overnight Exfoliating Treatment bottle
— per g of active
$6.00 retail · 30 mL
17% base formula · 4th of 6

Good Molecules Overnight Exfoliating Treatment

Shared formula DNA 8 of 32 original ingredients present
Water Glycolic Acid Butylene Glycol Glycerin Salicylic Acid Lactic Acid Citric Acid Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Juice Extract Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) Seed Extract Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract Buddleja Davidii Meristem Cell Culture Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer Allantoin Hydroxyethylcellulose Galactoarabinan Propanediol Disodium EDTA Xanthan Gum Hexylene Glycol Phenoxyethanol Caprylyl Glycol Ethylhexylglycerin Sodium Hydroxide Sodium Nitrate Potassium Sorbate Pentylene Glycol Sodium Benzoate

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
All three reference acids in-INCI — glycolic, salicylic, lactic — in the same overnight leave-on format, with 8 base ingredients shared. A 4.5-star average across 668 Amazon ratings.
What differs
No percentages disclosed for any acid. The formula is simpler than the original — 12 ingredients versus 33 — with no botanical extracts or sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer. At $6.00 for 30 mL it is the most cost-effective option on this page if you are comfortable with undisclosed actives.
Who it's for
The best budget option. $6, the same overnight format, all three acids confirmed present. No percentage guarantees, but at $6.00 that is a reasonable trade-off. Strong community rating.
Ships in
Packaging not verified No brand or retailer statement on the bottle — we won’t guess.
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
From retailer listing Ingredients and percentages from the product's Ulta listing.

$6.00 for 30 mL → — not disclosed: the brand doesn't state active percentages, so this number cannot honestly exist.

Buy on Amazon $5.93 Amazon price as of 2026-06-13; $6.00 direct retail.

05 / Pixi

Skip
Pixi Glow Tonic Serum Exfoliating Radiance Serum bottle
— per g of active
$24.00 retail · 30 mL
11% base formula · 5th of 6

Pixi Glow Tonic Serum Exfoliating Radiance Serum

Shared formula DNA 6 of 32 original ingredients present
Water Glycolic Acid Butylene Glycol Glycerin Salicylic Acid Lactic Acid Citric Acid Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Juice Extract Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) Seed Extract Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract Buddleja Davidii Meristem Cell Culture Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer Allantoin Hydroxyethylcellulose Galactoarabinan Propanediol Disodium EDTA Xanthan Gum Hexylene Glycol Phenoxyethanol Caprylyl Glycol Ethylhexylglycerin Sodium Hydroxide Sodium Nitrate Potassium Sorbate Pentylene Glycol Sodium Benzoate

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
Glycolic acid confirmed in INCI. 6 of the original's 32 base ingredients shared, including hydroxyethylcellulose, ethylhexylglycerin, and phenoxyethanol.
What differs
Salicylic acid and lactic acid are absent — this is a glycolic-only toner, not an AHA + BHA serum. It is also a toner format (applies then rinses / pads), not a leave-on night serum. Percentage undisclosed. Tocopheryl acetate and retinyl palmitate appear in the formula, which is a different clinical direction than the Framboos.
Who it's for
Skip as a Framboos dupe. Missing two of the three reference acids. It is a different product doing different things — a glycolic-only brightening toner — and the format does not match. The original's dual AHA + BHA action is not replicated here.
Ships in
Packaging not verified No brand or retailer statement on the bottle — we won’t guess.
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
From retailer listing Ingredients and percentages from the product's Ulta listing.

$24.00 for 30 mL → — not disclosed: the brand doesn't state active percentages, so this number cannot honestly exist.

price on Amazon ($24.00) — not recommended as a dupe

06 / Naturium

Skip
Naturium BHA Liquid Exfoliant 2% bottle
$8.03 per g of active
$18.99 retail · 118 mL
7% base formula · lowest of 6

Naturium BHA Liquid Exfoliant 2%

Shared formula DNA 7 of 32 original ingredients present
Water Glycolic Acid Butylene Glycol Glycerin Salicylic Acid Lactic Acid Citric Acid Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Juice Extract Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) Seed Extract Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract Buddleja Davidii Meristem Cell Culture Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer Allantoin Hydroxyethylcellulose Galactoarabinan Propanediol Disodium EDTA Xanthan Gum Hexylene Glycol Phenoxyethanol Caprylyl Glycol Ethylhexylglycerin Sodium Hydroxide Sodium Nitrate Potassium Sorbate Pentylene Glycol Sodium Benzoate

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
Salicylic acid disclosed at 2% — the same percentage as the original's BHA. 7 of the original's 32 base ingredients shared, including butylene glycol, propanediol, caprylyl glycol, and phenoxyethanol.
What differs
Glycolic acid absent. Lactic acid absent. This is a BHA-only exfoliant — the AHA side of the Framboos is entirely missing. At $18.99 for 118 mL ($0.16/mL) it is a reasonable standalone BHA product, but not a Framboos dupe.
Who it's for
Skip as a Framboos dupe — the AHAs are simply absent. Worth considering on its own terms if your only goal is 2% salicylic acid at a reasonable price, but that is a different purchase than what this report covers.
Ships in
Packaging not verified No brand or retailer statement on the bottle — we won’t guess.
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
From retailer listing Ingredients and percentages from the product's Ulta listing.

$18.99 for 118 mL → $8.03 per gram of active — 2.9× cheaper per active gram than the original's $23.08.

price on Amazon ($18.99) — not recommended as a dupe

05 / Methodology

How we verified this

Verified 2026-06-13

Every formula on this page was tokenized — split into its individual INCI ingredients — and matched against the EU CosIng ingredient database, so "Aqua," "Water," and "Eau" all resolve to the same ingredient.

The base-formula match score works like this: sharing a rare ingredient counts far more than sharing a common one. Almost every serum contains water and glycerin — that proves nothing. Almost nothing contains Ethoxydiglycol or Laureth-23, so when a candidate shares those with the original, it says something real about how the formula was built. (For the statisticians: it is an IDF-weighted Jaccard similarity over the normalized ingredient lists.)

Scores are computed, not opinions. The verdict tags are our editorial read of the actives, the scores, and the prices — and the methodology stays public so you can disagree with us precisely.

Where the ingredient lists come from

  1. Disclosed by brand

    Ingredient percentages published by the brand itself, on its own product page — the strongest provenance.

  2. From retailer listing

    Ingredients and percentages taken from a retailer product listing. Feeds can lag a reformulation, and we flag that wherever it applies.

Sources for this report

  • Brand DTC product pages (live crawl 2026-06)
  • Ulta.com product feed (crawled 2026-06)

06 / Questions

Frequently asked

What is the best Drunk Elephant Framboos dupe?
Pixi Clarity Concentrate ($24) is the strongest match: all three reference acids (glycolic, salicylic, lactic) are confirmed in the formula in the same leave-on serum format, at $24 versus Framboos's $90. Good Molecules Overnight Exfoliating Treatment ($6) covers all three acids for even less, though no percentages are disclosed.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Drunk Elephant Framboos?
Yes — several. Pixi Clarity Concentrate is $24 for the same 30 mL size. Good Molecules Overnight Exfoliating Treatment is $6. The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution is $9.50 but is a rinse-off mask, not a leave-on serum — a meaningful format difference. The original's chemistry is glycolic acid + salicylic acid + lactic acid: all three are commodity ingredients with no quality moat.
Is Framboos worth it?
No — not at $90. The actives are glycolic acid (12%), salicylic acid (1%), and lactic acid (percentage undisclosed). All three are inexpensive commodity acids available in multiple products at a fraction of the price. The formula works because the chemistry is correct — not because the chemistry is unique. Drunk Elephant's brand story drove the price; the brand collapsed 65% in 2025. The chemistry remains available at $24.
What percentage of glycolic acid is in Drunk Elephant Framboos?
12% glycolic acid, disclosed by Drunk Elephant on their product page. The formula also contains 1% salicylic acid and an undisclosed percentage of lactic acid. Glycolic acid is the primary AHA — the smallest molecule in the AHA family, allowing surface penetration and cell turnover acceleration.
What is a Drunk Elephant Framboos dupe for sensitive skin?
Facile Clear Blemish Serum ($38) runs 7% glycolic acid versus the original's 12% — a gentler AHA load while maintaining the same acid trio. For very reactive skin, step down further: The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution is an established low-irritation glycolic entry point, though it does not replicate Framboos's BHA component.
What does the "Framboos" in Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos mean?
Framboos is the Dutch word for raspberry. The formula contains Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract, which is listed near the bottom of the INCI — at that position, the concentration is functionally negligible and the extract does no meaningful exfoliating work. The raspberry extract is a marketing hook; the formula's exfoliating action comes entirely from the acids: glycolic, salicylic, lactic, and citric.
Is Drunk Elephant Framboos an AHA or BHA?
Both. It is a multi-acid exfoliant: 12% AHA blend (glycolic acid as the lead, with lactic acid and citric acid) plus 1% salicylic acid (BHA). AHAs work at the skin surface — loosening dead cells, improving tone and texture. Salicylic acid is oil-soluble and works inside the follicle, making this the rare formula that addresses surface texture and pore congestion simultaneously.
Why did Drunk Elephant collapse?
Drunk Elephant was acquired by Shiseido in 2023 for $845 million on the back of a social-media cult following. In 2025, the brand declined approximately 65% — a combination of the founder's departure, viral backlash over marketing positioning, and the broader collapse of "clean beauty" as a differentiating story. The formulas themselves were always commodity chemistry at a premium price; once the brand story eroded, the price premium became indefensible.

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