Beekman 1802 Milk Scrub Oat and Goat Milk Exfoliating Facial Cleanser

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.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

One of the manufacturer for this ingredient states it is vegetable-based. It is also claimed to be stable at both high and low temperatures.

This ingredient may not be safe for fungal acne. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.

The cellulose and fiber in colloidal oatmeal help reduce inflammation. This can also help the skin feel softer.

Colloidal Oatmeal is also an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect our skin from free-radical damage.

Oatmeal also contains beneficial compounds:

This ingredient is created by mixing grounded oatmeal and a liquid base.

Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they don’t penetrate as deeply. This means they’re less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.

Like glycolic acid, it can:

Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.

Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skin’s microbiome.

To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.

Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.

Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.

When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the product’s pH.

Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.

Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

What you end up with is a water-loving ingredient packed with plant antioxidants and a gentle skin-dissolving enzyme that works in two ways:

1) it fights daily damage from things like pollution and UV
2) it lightly loosens dead skin cells on the surface for a smoother, brighter look.

The antioxidant side is the better studied half. Pomegranate's natural compounds help neutralize unstable molecules that damage skin cells and lab studies on skin cells show they can also help calm inflammation.

Exfoliation from this ingredient is soft; it gently loosens dead skin cells on the surface. Even manufacturers admit it's not as strong as AHAs like glycolic acid.

A 2022 human trial on a fermented pomegranate serum reported improvements in moisture, brightness, elasticity, spots, and collagen density after 4-8 weeks.

This ingredient is recommended to be used at 1-3% by suppliers. Since the Lactobacillus is a fermenting organism rather than live culture in a final product, there's no known fungal acne concern.

Just be sure to patch test or avoid if you have known pomegranate allergies.

The flowers of this tree are lilac colored.

While Holy Basil has many claims to help fight acne, more research is needed.

One thing to note is the presence of tannins; tannins are naturally found in nature. However, this compound may be skin-sensitizing.

Extracted polysaccharides, galactose and xylose, in red algae showed antioxidant activity. Antioxidants help with anti-aging by neutralizing free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules may damage your skin cells and DNA. Galactose is also a PHA.

Corallina Officinalis is structurally similar to coral due to its high calcium content.

This ingredient has antimicrobial properties and helps prevent the growth of bacteria in a product.

Leuconostoc is used to make the traditional Korean side-dish, kimchi. It is also used to make sourdough bread (both incredibly yummy foods).

Curcumin also has anti-inflammatory properties and can help soothe skin and reduce irritation. On top of that, curcumin has been shown to help prevent hyperpigmentation from sun damage.

The anti-microbial property of turmeric can make it effective in treating acne. This property has also been shown to help regulate the production of sebum.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:

Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.

Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.

The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.

The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.

In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.

It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.

This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.

A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.

Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.

Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.

Tromethamine helps balance the pH level of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.

Oral Tromethanmine is an anti-inflammatory drug but plays the role of masking, adding fragrance, and/or balancing pH in skincare.

1,3-Propanediol, 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-

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.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

One study from 2021 found Myristic Acid to have anti-inflammatory properties.

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:

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.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

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.

A 2021 paper looked at skincare formulations containing iron oxides and found that they reduced transmission of blue light when measured optically. In simple terms, the pigment particles helped block or scatter part of the visible light spectrum in lab testing and the authors suggest this could translate into better protection against blue-light-related skin effects.

There is also clinical and experimental research showing that tinted products containing iron oxides can reduce visible light-induced pigmentation:

Please note, whether a product reduces visible or blue light depends on things like:

In the EU's CosIng database, iron oxides are only listed as a colorant. CosIng groups ingredients by their main cosmetic role, such as colorant, preservative, or UV filter.

Though studies say iron oxides can "attenuate blue light", they're describing an optical property and not an officially recognized cosmetic function.

So CosIng isn’t contradicting the research. It’s just classifying iron oxides by what they officially are: pigments that add color.