Gleamin Vitamin C Treatment Mask Versus Youth To The People Yerba Mate Resurfacing + Exfoliating Energy Facial with Enzymes
This wash off mask is made with Kaolin and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice for a rinse-off oil-control boost.
This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Lactic Acid and Bromelain to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientRicinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Antioxidant
Curcuma Longa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Citrus Australasica Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Citrus Glauca Fruit Extract
HumectantTerminalia Bellerica Fruit
AstringentBrassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract
HumectantHectorite
AbsorbentVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingP-Anisic Acid
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingCrystallins
Skin ConditioningChloroacetic Acid
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Iron Oxides
Water, Kaolin, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Saccharide Isomerate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Curcuma Longa Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Citrus Australasica Fruit Extract, Citrus Glauca Fruit Extract, Terminalia Bellerica Fruit, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract, Hectorite, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Chloride, P-Anisic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Crystallins, Chloroacetic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Iron Oxides
Water
Skin ConditioningBambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningDiatomaceous Earth
Abrasive
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
C15-19 Alkane
SolventIlex Paraguariensis Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Ilex Guayusa Leaf Extract
Skin ProtectingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBromelain
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Papain
Skin Conditioning
Polyglycerin-6
HumectantZingiber Officinale Root Oil
Masking
Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCurcuma Longa Root Powder
Skin ConditioningHylocereus Undatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract, Diatomaceous Earth, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Propanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Lactic Acid, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Niacinamide, Phenoxyethanol, C15-19 Alkane, Ilex Paraguariensis Leaf Extract, Ilex Guayusa Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Bromelain, Sodium Phytate, Papain, Polyglycerin-6, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum, Curcuma Longa Root Powder, Hylocereus Undatus Fruit Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is the filtered, stabilized liquid pressed from the inner gel of the aloe vera leaf.
In cosmetics, it shows up as either soothing active or a water-replacement base. It is roughly 98-99% water and the last 1-2% is an interesting mix of polysaccharides, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.
The polysaccharides do most of the work: they bind water at the skin surface for a light, non-greasy hydration boost. And one of the polysaccharides, glycomannan, is linked to fibroblast stimulation + collagen synthesis. This is also why aloe has such a long track record in wound and burn healing.
This ingredient is also calming with anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity, making it a great pick for sensitive, irritated, or post-sun skin.
Realistic expectations matter though; the solid evidence is mostly limited to hydration, soothing, and wound support. Deeper claims about anti-aging or sun protection are not well backed, and science reviews note it does not prevent radiation-induced skin injury.
Because it plays well with almost everything, it's commonly used as a base alongside other actives like niacinamide or vitamin C.
Typical usage concentrations range from 0.5% (where hydration benefits already show up) all the way to 90%+ (where it replaces water as the main base).
The safety for this ingredient is well-establish as well. Overall, this is a great supporting ingredient for those who want a boost in hydration.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil comes from the seeds of the safflower plant. It is a skin conditioning agent that helps soften skin and keep it hydrated.
This seed oil has an unusual fatty acid profile: it is one of the highest linoleic acid plant oils out there (~55-77%). It also has low amounts of oleic acid, and this high-linoleic/low-oleic ratio gets people excited.
Linoleic acid helps maintain skin barrier integrity and is a building block for the ceramides in your stratum corneum. Notably, people with acne tend to have lower linoleic acid in their skin lipids as well (and this gets worse as acne gets more severe).
Overall, it's a lightweight, fast-absorbing oil that has a long safety track record. Lab testing has found it to be non-irritating for skin or eyes.
The Malassezia yeast can metabolize the fatty acids in this oil to grow; therefore this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Carthamus Tinctorius Seed OilGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
