Glad2Glow Watermelon Niacinamide Low pH Cleanser Gel Versus Luxe Organix Cica Rescue Gentle Brightening Cleanser
This mild gel cleanser is made to cleanse while respecting your skin barrier.
This mild gel cleanser is made to cleanse while calming and soothing your skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
SurfactantSodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantPotassium Cocoate
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingNiacinamide
SmoothingTrehalose
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin ConditioningTyrosine
MaskingLysine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
MaskingLeucine
Skin ConditioningAspartic Acid
MaskingGlutamic Acid
HumectantSerine
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantRoyal Jelly
Glycine
BufferingViola Tricolor Extract
EmollientGlycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentSophora Flavescens Root Extract
AntioxidantFomes Officinalis Extract
Skin ProtectingButylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
SolventArginine
MaskingPhenylalanine
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Decyl Glucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Potassium Cocoate, Citric Acid, Niacinamide, Trehalose, Ceramide NP, Histidine, Hyaluronic Acid, Isoleucine, Proline, Tyrosine, Lysine, Alanine, Leucine, Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Serine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Royal Jelly, Glycine, Viola Tricolor Extract, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, Fomes Officinalis Extract, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Arginine, Phenylalanine
Water
Skin ConditioningLauryl Glucoside
CleansingDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPolyquaternium-10
Centella Asiatica Leaf Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPropolis Extract
Skin ConditioningAsiaticoside
AntioxidantMadecassoside
AntioxidantAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Chloride
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Chelating1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningWater, Lauryl Glucoside, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-10, Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Propolis Extract, Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCitric 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.
Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.
However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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