Moon Juice Milk Cleanse Gentle Foaming Cleanser

This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.

Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.

Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.

Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.

Sunscreens containing bentonite display higher water resistance and stay on the skin for much longer. The sunscreens containing bentonite also show higher potency and UV light absorbtion.

Bentonite is naturally created from volcanic ash and several natural weathering/hydrothermal processes.

A common usage of bentonite is removing excess protein from white wines. Bentonite contains a property of being able to absorb large amounts of protein from aqueous solutions.

Phyllosilicate clay has a structure formed by sheets.

This ingredient is more of a microbiome agent rather than an active; it helps rebalance the skin's microbial community.

The bacteria and their metabolites produce lactic acid and other antimicrobial compounds that crowd out the "bad bacteria". Research on Lactobacillus strains shows activity against pathogens and acne-causing bacteria.

One strain, Lactobacillus plantarum, has also been shown to boost collagen synthesis and lower melanin synthesis in lab and clinical observation.

The most eye-catching data comes from acne research, a topical cream with live lactobacilli was well-tolerated and improved skin hydration by 37.3% after 14 days of use and 45.6% after 28 days.

Sources for this ingredient are usually fermented substrates like dairy, soy, or rice.

In general, this is a low-irritation and well-tolerated ingredient that plays nice with most of your routine.

One thing to keep in mind is that live bacteria are hard to keep alive inside of a skincare product. They struggle to survive on the shelf and don't get along with the preservatives that stop products from spoiling.

That's why you'll see ferment and postbiotic forms instead, like Lactobacillus Ferment or Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate.

There isn't a fixed percentage for this ingredient since it is dosed by strain and viable count.

On the fungal acne front: Lactobacillus is a bacterium (not a fungus). The whole culture contains no fatty acids, esters, or oils that Malassezia can feed on so it is considered fungal acne safe.

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.

Typical use levels range from 1-5%.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has found minimal irritation in clinical testing and no evidence of sensitization from this ingredient.

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:

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.

It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.

Fungal acne note:
Since this ingredient is made from oleic acid, it might not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast survives by eating certain fats, including oleic acid.

However, it should be noted this oleic acid is chemically bound to a large polyglycerol molecule, so it might not trigger fungal acne for everyone.

Other antioxidants found in this oil include tocopherols, tocotrienols, and ferulic acid.

According to manufacturers, this oil has a lightweight texture that absorbs nicely.

The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics and it has not shown to be a skin sensitizer in testing (unless you have a known rice allergy).

Due to the fatty acids (primarily Oleic Acid ~40%, Linoleic Acid ~30%, and some Palmitic Acid), this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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

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.

Research suggests tocotrienols can help with several signs of skin aging, including:

There are four types of tocotrienols: alpha, beta, gamma, and delta.

Fun fact: You can find tocotrienols in ingredients like rice bran oil, palm oil, anatto beans, oats, and hazelnuts.

This is due to its content of terpenoids, polysaccharides, macronutrients, and phenolic acids.

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.

According to a manufacturer, the glucuronic acid of this ingredient promotes the presence of hyaluronic acid in the middle layer of skin to keep that layer sufficiently hydrated.

Phototoxicity is a bigger issue here; cold-pressed bergamot peel oil naturally contains furanocoumarins that absorb UV-A and trigger a phototoxic reaction on skin. This can lead to redness, blistering, and/or hyperpigmentation on sun-exposed skin.

Due to this, this ingredient is capped at 0.4% in leave-on products applied to skin areas exposed to sunlight. Rinse-off products aren't restricted.

A furanocoumarin-free version made by distillation is widely used in modern cosmetics and avoids the photoxicity issue (but the fragrance-allergen content still remains).

Be sure to reach out to the brand if you have questions about their source of this ingredient.

Geraniol can be found in many essential oils including Rose Oil and Citronella Oil. The scent of Geraniol is often described as "rose-like". Many foods also contain Geraniol for fruit flavoring.

Geraniol can irritate the skin when exposed to air. However, irritation depends on the ability of geraniol to penetrate into the skin. In general, geraniol is not able to penetrate skin easily.

Geraniol is colorless and has low water-solubility. However, it is soluble in common organic solvents.

Like citronellol, it is a natural insect repellent.

2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-

Like other alcohols, this ingredient helps prevent the growth of bacteria. However, its main purpose is to impact a fragrance.

Rosa Damascena Extract is a tonic. Tonics are used to remove soap residues. They also help moisturize the skin.

A patch test is recommended before use, especially for sensitive skin. This ingredient should be diluted as part of a formulation and not applied directly.

According to perfume manufacturers, this ingredient is almost odorless but has a mild fruity, wine and plum scent. It can be used to mask the scent of other ingredients.

This ingredient can be plant-sourced or synthetic; it can naturally be found in cabbage and white wine.

Honeysuckle contains flavonoids and saponins. Both of these components are natural antioxidants that can help soothe the skin.

As most flowers do, honeysuckle has a natural fragrance.

This honeysuckle is native to East Asia and used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat fever and inflammation.