This mandelic acid gel cleanser is formulated around Mandelic Acid to exfoliate and smooth skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingSodium Myreth Sulfate
Cleansing
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingMethylpropanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPantolactone
Humectant
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate
Cleansing
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
PEG-18 Glyceryl Oleate/Cocoate
Emulsifying
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Sodium Salicylate
Preservative
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Tamarindus Indica Extract
SmoothingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingZinc PCA
Humectant
Arctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Lauryl Alcohol
Emollient
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPEG-120 Methyl Glucose Trioleate
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Coco-Glucoside, Glycerin, Betaine, PEG-18 Glyceryl Oleate/Cocoate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract, Mandelic Acid, Sodium Salicylate, Zinc Gluconate, Tamarindus Indica Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Zinc PCA, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Biotin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Lauryl Alcohol, Coconut Acid, Sodium Chloride, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Trioleate, Propylene Glycol, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Disodium EDTA, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidCoco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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!
Learn more about Water
