Overview
What it is
Exfoliator with 9 ingredients that contains exfoliants
Cool Features
It is vegan, fungal acne (malassezia) safe, and reef safe
Suited For
It has ingredients that are good for dry skin, sensitive skin and better texture
Free From
It doesn't contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates
Fun facts
Merbelle is from France. This product is used in 2 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.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Explained
Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol. It is a hydrating and moisturizing agent created from the reduction process of glucose.
Most sorbitol is usually made from potato starch. It is also found in fruits such as apples and pears.
As a humectant, Sorbitol helps draw water to the skin. This helps keep the skin hydrated. Sorbitol also helps create a thicker texture in products. You might find sorbitol in your toothpaste and other gels.
It is a non-irritating ingredient that is great for those with dry skin.
Sorbitol is a prebiotic. It helps promote the growth of healthy bacteria on your skin. The bacteria on your skin form a microbiome. This microbiome helps protect your skin from infection and harmful bacteria.
Learn more about SorbitolOryza Sativa Starch is an absorbent and used to mattify the skin. It is a natural carbohydrate and the main component of rice. A more common name for this ingredient is 'rice starch'.
Rice starch is created by steeping broken grains in a caustic soda.
Rice extract has many skin benefits. Read more about rice extract here.
Learn more about Oryza Sativa StarchSodium Lauroyl Glutamate is the sodium salt from the lauric acid of glutamic acid.
It is a surfactant and helps cleanse the skin. Surfactants gather oil, dirt, and other pollutants from your skin so they may be washed away easily.
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 MaltodextrinWater. 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 WaterCarica Papaya Fruit Extract comes from the flesh of the papaya. It's a skin conditioning agent that carries a mix of bioactives like papain, beta-carotene, and vitamin C.
These bioactive compounds give it two main talking points:
1. Papain is a proteolytic enzyme that provides mild exfoliation, helping skin look smoother and more even.
2. The carotenoids and vitamin C provide some antioxidant activity.
It's pretty compatible with most ingredients, but just sure to space out enzyme products with strong acids/retinoids to avoid over-doing it.
Maximum reported concentration is around 0.1% and most leave-on products use just 0.05%. If you see higher figures like 5-10%, this is usually the pre-diluted material from raw extract suppliers.
This ingredient has an assuring safety record and there's a lack of clinical case reports of dermatitis from using it.
The only caveat is allergy: patch test if you have a papaya or latex-fruit allergy.
Learn more about Carica Papaya Fruit ExtractThis extract comes from the pineapple fruit. Its main claim to fame is bromelain, a gentle exfoliator that helps remove dead skin cells from the outermost layer of skin.
Exfoliation from bromelain is considered a gentler alternative to physical or chemical exfoliants; this makes it suitable for sensitive skin types.
Beyond exfoliation, this extract also contains natural sugars with humectant properties and some vitamin C.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated and low-risk ingredient unless you have a pineapple allergy.
Learn more about Ananas Sativus Fruit ExtractPapain is a proteolytic enzyme extracted from unripe papaya fruit. It is a gentle exfoliator that helps remove the dead skin cells from your outermost layer of skin.
Basically, papain works by dissolving the "glue" holding dead skin cells to your skin's surface. This also promotes cell turnover and smooths texture.
Unlike other exfoliants, papain can work without causing significant irritation.
Beyond exfoliation, its proteolytic action also helps soothe irritated skin and supports the healing of minor wounds.
A 2024 in vivo/in vitro study confirmed its potential to suppress skin inflammation and improve transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in atopic dermatitis models.
Just one thing worth noting: there are reports of allergic responses in individuals with a papaya or latex sensitivity. Be sure to patch test if you're in this camp.
Learn more about PapainProtease is an enzyme that works as a gentle exfoliant by mimicking something your skin already does naturally.
Your skin uses proteolytic enzymes to carry out desquamation; this is the process of shedding dead skin cells from the stratum corneum.
In skincare, proteases act as biological catalysts that mimic this natural desquamation process. You can think of it as giving your skin's own renewal system a nudge.
By breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together, proteases help accelerate cell turnover to:
One reason they're becoming a popular AHA alternative is because proteases are considered effective while also being well-tolerated on skin. Because they work at a protein level rather than by lowering the skin pH, they can be a good option for those sensitive to AHAs.
Available in vitro and in vivo studies show positive exfoliant results but clinical (human) trials specifically on enzymatic exfoliation are still limited at this time.
Just one thing worth noting: temperature, pH, and stabilization are important factors that affect enzyme activity. The formulation quality definitely matters with this ingredient.
This ingredient can be either microbial sourced or plant-derived (papain from papaya, bromelain from pineapple).
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Where it's from
Merbelle is a French brand
Often compared with
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.
Read more about usยท Updated September 12, 2024 • Added by LivMoore
