This glycolic acid gel cleanser is formulated around Glycolic Acid to exfoliate and smooth skin.
This mild gel cleanser is made to cleanse while respecting your skin barrier.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Shell Powder
Abrasive
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Surfactant
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Tromethamine
BufferingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Polyquaternium-7
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHouttuynia Cordata Powder
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
ChelatingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Powder
Abrasive
Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Malic Acid
Buffering
Tartaric Acid
Buffering
Propanediol
Solvent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sodium DNA
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Jasminum Officinale Extract
Masking
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Glycol
SolventCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Extract
AstringentCoriandrum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningChaenomeles Sinensis Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Foeniculum Vulgare Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Crocus Sativus Flower Extract
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Cornus Officinalis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Mume Fruit Extract
Humectant
Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycerin, Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Shell Powder, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Coco-Betaine, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Tromethamine, Dipropylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyquaternium-7, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Butylene Glycol, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Powder, Sodium Phytate, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Powder, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Dextrin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Decyl Glucoside, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Malic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Propanediol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium DNA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, Jasminum Officinale Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Benzyl Glycol, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Sodium Hyaluronate, Beta-Glucan, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Extract, Coriandrum Sativum Extract, Chaenomeles Sinensis Fruit Extract, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract, Foeniculum Vulgare Seed Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Crocus Sativus Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Cornus Officinalis Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingPEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
Niacinamide
Smoothing
PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMethylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCholesterol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
ChelatingPropylparaben
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium EDTA
ChelatingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Niacinamide, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Propylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Methylparaben, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Disodium EDTA, Propylparaben, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum
Reviews
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.
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 GlycerinHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate is a gentle, coconut-derived cleansing surfactant. It's most commonly found in "sulfate-free" cleansers.
As a taurate, it belongs to a class of anionic surfactants prized for being efficient at cleansing without harshness, good performance in hard water, stability across a wide pH range, and easily biodegradable.
It is able to lift away oil and grime and make a nice lather without stripping your skin, so it's a good pick for sensitive skin.
Safety-wise, it has a good record. The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics and concentrations go up to 11% in leave-on products or 13% in rinse-off products.
Despite being derived from coconut oil, this ingredient is fungal acne safe. It's a water-soluble surfactant with no fatty oils or esters left intact on skin for the Malassezia yeast to feed.
Learn more about Sodium Methyl Cocoyl TaurateWater. 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
