This glycolic acid gel cleanser is formulated around Glycolic Acid to exfoliate and smooth skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingPEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate
CleansingTriethanolamine
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientDistearyl Ether
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingLaureth-2
CleansingSqualane
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Acrylates Copolymer, Lauryl Glucoside, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Triethanolamine, Sodium Chloride, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Hexylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Distearyl Ether, Sodium Benzoate, Laureth-2, Squalane, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Persea Gratissima Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
CleansingCaulerpa Lentillifera Extract
Beta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit
AstringentGlycolic Acid
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingPhysalis Peruviana Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRubus Idaeus Fruit
AstringentArctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMorus Nigra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingBetaine
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantParfum
MaskingWater, Decyl Glucoside, Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Hyaluronate, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Physalis Peruviana Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit, Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract, Morus Nigra Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Decyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is not within the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl 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 GlycerinChances 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