This brightening exfoliator is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid to fade the look of dark spots and refine skin texture.
This gel cleanser uses mild cleansing ingredients, but contains alcohol that may feel drying for some.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Hydrated Silica
Abrasive
Polylactic Acid
Abrasive
Coco-Caprylate
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAcrylamide/Ammonium Acrylate Copolymer
Dimethicone
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPolyisobutene
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Dehydroxanthan Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Glutathione
Kojic Acid
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 73360
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77713
Cosmetic ColorantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion Stabilising
Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract
Astringent
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Impatiens Balsamina Flower Extract
AstringentLavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Masking
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Pimpinella Anisum Fruit Extract
MaskingPrunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentVanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAnthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Antioxidant
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, Hydrated Silica, Polylactic Acid, Coco-Caprylate, Lactic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, Acrylamide/Ammonium Acrylate Copolymer, Dimethicone, Jojoba Esters, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Polyisobutene, Phenoxyethanol, Ascorbic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Cetearyl Glucoside, Dehydroxanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Chlorphenesin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Alpha-Arbutin, Glutathione, Kojic Acid, Niacinamide, Retinyl Palmitate, Azelaic Acid, CI 19140, CI 73360, CI 77713, Butylene Glycol, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Impatiens Balsamina Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Pimpinella Anisum Fruit Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Acrylates Copolymer
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Camellia Sinensis Leaf
Perfuming
Luffa Cylindrica Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningLuffa Cylindrica Fruit
Abrasive
Sodium Lauroyl Hydrolyzed Silk
Skin ConditioningRosa Multiflora Fruit Extract
MaskingBelamcanda Chinensis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingPolyglyceryl-10 Dioleate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-2 Sesquicaprylate
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
ChelatingParfum
Masking
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Propanediol, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Coco-Betaine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf, Luffa Cylindrica Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract, Luffa Cylindrica Fruit, Sodium Lauroyl Hydrolyzed Silk, Rosa Multiflora Fruit Extract, Belamcanda Chinensis Root Extract, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate, Polyglyceryl-2 Sesquicaprylate, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Parfum, Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolGlycerin (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 PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
