This glycolic acid gel cleanser is formulated around Glycolic Acid to exfoliate and smooth skin.
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
HumectantGlycolic Acid
BufferingPEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
EmulsifyingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingCoco-Betaine
CleansingZinc PCA
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPotassium Benzoate
PreservativeDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientDecyl Glucoside
CleansingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventCitric Acid
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Malt Extract
Skin ProtectingXylitylglucoside
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantXylitol
HumectantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantTocopherol
AntioxidantSodium Chloride
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Coco-Betaine, Zinc PCA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Potassium Benzoate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Decyl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Propanediol, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Malt Extract, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, CI 19140, Xylitol, CI 42090, Tocopherol, Sodium Chloride
Water
Skin ConditioningDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
SurfactantCoco-Betaine
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingCocamide Mipa
EmulsifyingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Cucumis Sativus Seed
ExfoliatingPersea Gratissima Cera
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningVegetable Oil
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantMangifera Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentSesamum Indicum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningMalus Domestica Fruit Extract
AntioxidantOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningBacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningIllicium Verum Fruit Extract
PerfumingScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentButylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantWater, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Coco-Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamide Mipa, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Cucumis Sativus Seed, Persea Gratissima Cera, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Vegetable Oil, Tocopherol, Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract, Malus Domestica Fruit Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Bacillus Ferment, Centella Asiatica Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Citric Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
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
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-Betaine is the natural version of Cocamidopropyl Betaine. It is often derived from coconuts.
Coco-Betaine is a surfactant, meaning it helps remove dirt and oil from the skin.
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 GlucosideDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAThis ingredient is a cleansing agent, surfactant, and foam booster. It considered an alternative to traditional sulfates (Sulfosuccinate) and is allowed in "sulfate-free" products.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient is mild and can be used in baby and bath options.
Peg-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate is used to improve texture and stability of a product. It is sugar based and helps thicken a product.
Once applied, it also creates a thin film to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
This ingredient is the polyethylene glycol ether of the diester of oleic acid and methylglucose. The 120 represents an average of 120 moles of ethylene oxide.
There is limited research on this ingredient, although it is considered safe to use in skincare products.
Learn more about PEG-120 Methyl Glucose DioleateChances 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 ChlorideTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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