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Glow Recipe Papaya Sorbet Smoothing Enzyme Cleansing Balm Ingredients Explained

3.0   from 2 ratings
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Updated on September 18, 2023

Overview

What it is

Makeup remover with 18 ingredients that contains exfoliants

Cool Features

It is vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe

Free From

It doesn't contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens, silicones or sulfates

Fun facts

Glow Recipe is from United States. This product is used in 67 routines created by our community.

We independently verify ingredients and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Does this product need an update? Let us know.

You should know

Here's our breakdown of the notable ingredients, benefits, and concerns we determined from the ingredients in this product. Click any item to learn more.

Notable Ingredients

Exfoliators

Concerns

Acne Trigger

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

Ingredients Overview

Here's our quick-to-read summary of the ingredients in this product. Keep scrolling if you'd like to learn more about what each ingredient does!
Ingredient
Features
1
Emollient
2
Emulsifying
3 / 0
Bad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon
3
Masking, Skin Conditioning
1-2 / 0
Oil IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon
4
Abrasive
Exfoliant Icon
5
Skin Conditioning, Solvent
6
Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Oil IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon
7
Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Oil IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon
8
Skin Conditioning
9
Skin Conditioning
0 / 0
10
Skin Protecting, Soothing
11
Skin Conditioning
12
Skin Conditioning
13
Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Astringent, Skin Protecting
Antioxidant Icon
14
Absorbent, Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning
15
Masking, Skin Conditioning
16
Perfuming, Skin Conditioning
Fragrance Icon
17
Skin Conditioning, Solvent
18
Antioxidant, Preservative
Antioxidant IconPreservative Icon

Ingredients Explained

This product contains 18 ingredients. Click on any ingredient to learn more about it
1
What it does: Emollient
Community Rating: Mixed

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate comes from cetearyl alcohol and 2-ethylhexanoic acid.

It is an emollient that adds a velvety feel to products when applied. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.

2
What it does: Emulsifying
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Sorbitan Oleate is created from compounds in oleic acid and sorbitol. It is used to stabilize a product by preventing ingredients from separating.

Emulsifiers help keep ingredients together, such as oils and water.

Sorbitan Oleate may not be fungal acne safe. It can also worsen oily skin.

Learn more about Sorbitan Oleate
3
What it does: Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil is oil from the kernels of the Apricot, Prunus armeniaca L., Rosaceae. This oil is non-fragrant and non-volatile.

Apricot Kernel Oil is an emollient and helps soften skin. This is due to its fatty acid components. Some of these fatty acids include linoleic and oleic acid.

Apricot Kernel Oil also has antioxidant properties from Vitamins A, C, and E. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. Besides being antioxidants, these vitamins provide plenty of skin benefits as well.

Learn more about Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
4
What it does: Abrasive
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Polyethylene is a synthetic ingredient that helps the skin retain moisture. It is a polymer.

Polyethylene is also typically used within product formulations to help bind solid ingredients together and thicken oil-based ingredients. When added to balms and emulsions, it helps increase the melting point temperature.

5
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Water. 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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
6
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Camellia Japonica Seed Oil comes from the Japanese Camellia plant. This plant is native to East Asia and known as "Tsubaki" in Japanese.

Camellia Japonica Seed Oil is rich in oleic acid. This makes it a great emollient. Emollients help soften and soothe the skin by forming a barrier. This barrier traps moisture within, keeping your skin hydated.

7
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Carica Papaya Seed Oil comes from the papaya fruit. This fruit comes from Central America.

Papaya seeds have been found to have anti-fungal activity. As a humectant, papaya seed oil helps hydrate your skin. It does this by drawing water from the air towards your skin.

8
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Carica Papaya Fruit Extract comes from the papaya fruit. Papayas were first domesticated in Mexico and Central America.

This fruit extract contains papain and chymopapain, two types of enzymes. These enzyme have exfoliating and anti-inflammatory properties. One study shows papain may help reduce scarring.

Papaya is also a rich source of antioxidants. Antioxidants protect your skin against damage from free-radical molecules. This may help protect against signs of aging. One antioxidant present in papayas is lycopene.

Papaya also contains Vitamin A, also known as retinol.

While papaya is used as an ingredient to help lighten skin, research is limited on this.

The seeds of papaya have been found to have anti-fungal activity.

Learn more about Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
9
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Papain is an enzyme found naturally in the papaya plant's leaves, fruit, and roots. It has antimicrobial, soothing, and wound healing properties.

Glycine and Vitamin A are naturally found in papain.

While papain is often touted as skin-lightening, further studies are needed to prove this. However, papain has been shown to help soothe acne-inflammation.

Papain belongs to a class of enzymes called proteolytic enzymes. These enzymes break down peptides and amino acids.

Some studies found papain to be a potential skin sensitizer and allergen. Those with latex allergies might also be allergic to papaya.

Learn more about Papain
10
What it does: Skin Protecting, Soothing
Community Rating: Loved

We don't have a description for Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract.

11
What it does: Skin Conditioning

Fragaria Ananassa Fruit extract comes from garden strawberry. It is a hybrid strawberry created from wild strawberries.

Strawberries have antioxidant and hydrating properties. They contain many compounds that are potent antioxidants, such as anthocyanins and Vitamin C.

The polysaccharides in strawberry help moisturize our skin.

Strawberries also contain acids such as ellagic acid, a compound that may protect our skin against UVB damage. Another acid present is citric acid.

This strawberry is the kind most commonly eaten and found at grocery stores.

Learn more about Fragaria Ananassa Fruit Extract
12
What it does: Skin Conditioning

We don't have a description for Alkanna Tinctoria Root Extract.

13
What it does: Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Astringent, Skin Protecting

Capsicum Annuum Fruit Extract is an antioxidant.

14
What it does: Absorbent, Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Maltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.

In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.

As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.

Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.

Learn more about Maltodextrin
15
What it does: Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.

Within a product, Caprylic Triglyceride can thicken the product and make spreadability easier by dissolving clumping compounds. An added benefit of Caprylic Triglyceride is its antioxidant properties.

Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Caprylic Triglyceride has not been found to be toxic for human use in concentrations under 50%.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.

Learn more about Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
16
What it does: Perfuming, Skin Conditioning

Levulinic Acid is a fragrance that comes from the degradation of cellulose. It is a saturated fatty acid.

This ingredient is often used a building block for other compounds, such as in pharmaceuticals.

According to a manufacturer, this ingredient smells like caramel.

Learn more about Levulinic Acid
17
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.

The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.

This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can help thicken or emulsify a product. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.

Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.

Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.

Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.

Learn more about Pentylene Glycol
18
What it does: Antioxidant, Preservative
Community Rating: Mixed

Sodium Metabisulfite is an antioxidant and is a preservative.

Embed Ingredients

Here's what our community thinks of the 18 ingredients in this product ✨

28% are loved or liked
39% have mixed ratings
11% are disliked or very disliked
22% have no rating yet

When to use

We've created a guide with info on when you should use Glow Recipe Papaya Sorbet Smoothing Enzyme Cleansing Balm. We've also included some recommended products to use it with, as well as some routine inspiration!

Read our guide on when to use Papaya Sorbet Smoothing Enzyme Cleansing Balm ->
Verified by SkinSort

We're dedicated to providing you with the most up-to-date and science-backed ingredient info out there.

The data we've presented on this page has been verified by a member of the SkinSort Team.

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Latest Reviews

jcnfia's Avatar'
Mar 13, 2024

The first two ingredients are extremely comedogenic. In my opinion, Glow Recipe is another one of those brands that invests way more in their marketing than actual products. I've had nothing but bad experiences with their products.

The first two ingredients are extremely comedogenic. In my opinion, Glow Recipe is another one of those brands that invests way more in their marketing than actual products. I've had nothing but bad experiences with their products.

Broke Me Out
Irritating
Heavy
Oily
Strong Scent