Works for:
based on ingredients and %- Anti-blemish
- Exfoliation
- Moisturizing
Doesn't work for:
based on ingredients and %- Evens skin tone
Can it cause trouble?
- Irritation risk: medium
- Comedogenic risk ingredients: 0
Key actives
Product Summary
"Almay - Complexion foundation" is effective for: Exfoliation and Anti-blemish
This product could be helpful for: Moisturizing, but its actives are not the most effective or are not well-studied.
Ingredient callouts
- Humectants (glycerin 5.60% - 6.90%). These ingredients help attract water to the upper layer of the skin and improve the skin hydration.
Anti-blemish
This product can help reduce breakouts and clogged pores because it contains the following ingredient: salicylic acid. This ingredient is used for treating acne and can have a noticeable effect.
Used for skin exfoliation. It has an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effect, helps to unclog pores, prevent blemishes and speed up healing of the existing ones. Sometimes referred to as a BHA (beta-hydroxy acid)
Traditionally used to treat sunburns, dermatitis and inflammation, but evidence for its effectiveness is lacking. The extract can contain humectants that help attract water into the skin
Exfoliation
This product can help exfoliate the skin. In other words, it helps break down the bonds between dead cells on the surface of the skin and speed up the skin turnover. Skin often appears softer and brighter after exfoliation, but overdoing it can result in disrupted skin barrier. The following ingredient is doing the exfoliating job in this product: salicylic acid.
Used for skin exfoliation. It has an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effect, helps to unclog pores, prevent blemishes and speed up healing of the existing ones. Sometimes referred to as a BHA (beta-hydroxy acid)
Used to thicken the product formulation and might help to add minerals to the surface of the skin. It is used in scrubs as a physical exfoliant. Can increase sensitivity to other ingredients if left on the skin or used in high concentration
Moisturizing
This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.
The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from
within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job:
glycerin, caprylyl glycol.
This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: copernicia cerifera wax, dimethicone.
A silicone that helps to reduce water loss from the surface of the skin. Can temporarily "fill in" lines and wrinkles, absorb oil, and create a nice product finish
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin
A non-living ingredient made by fermentation with the bacteria Lactobacillus. It can help attract water to the upper layer of the skin and might help reduce inflammation
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
Helps to soften the upper layer of the skin and create a nice product consistency
A silicone that works to soften the upper layer of the skin and reduce its water loss
A silicone that mixes with water creating nice light-weight product texture
Brazilian palm wax. Helps soften the upper layer of the skin
A silicone that helps improve the product texture and spreadability. Can absorb oil creating a short-term mattifying effect on the skin
A type of silicone that helps water and oil mix together. Can help to soften upper layer of the skin
A plant extract that helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and might have some anti-oxidant properties
Helps preserve products and creates a nice product texture
A silicone that serves as an emollient. Helps create a nice non-greasy feels
An emollient that helps soften the skin. It also forms a protective on its surface to reduce water loss.
Used mostly for creating emulsions - helping oil and water mix together. Helps soften the upper layer of the skin
Traditionally used to treat sunburns, dermatitis and inflammation, but evidence for its effectiveness is lacking. The extract can contain humectants that help attract water into the skin
Evens skin tone
This product might help improve the skin tone through exfoliation. In other words, it helps to speed up the shedding of cells from the upper layer of the skin, and this might help reduce hyperpigmentation.
Used for skin exfoliation. It has an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effect, helps to unclog pores, prevent blemishes and speed up healing of the existing ones. Sometimes referred to as a BHA (beta-hydroxy acid)
How honest is this product?
| Promise | Can it deliver? |
|---|---|
| Anti-blemish | |
| Evens skin tone |
Total Promises Fulfilled score: 75/100.
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Potential irritants
Comedogenic ingredients
No comedogenic ingredients detected
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|---|---|---|---|
 Almay Complexion foundation | Current | $20.65 | |
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Grahams Natural KP Smoothing Cream | 83% | $109.93 | |
 REVOLUTION SKINCARE Revolution Man Soothing Post Shave Balm | 83% | - | |
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Key Actives
Used for skin exfoliation. It has an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effect, helps to unclog pores, prevent blemishes and speed up healing of the existing ones. Sometimes referred to as a BHA (beta-hydroxy acid)
A silicone that helps improve the product texture and spreadability. Can absorb oil creating a short-term mattifying effect on the skin
A silicone that mixes with water creating nice light-weight product texture
A silicone that helps to reduce water loss from the surface of the skin. Can temporarily "fill in" lines and wrinkles, absorb oil, and create a nice product finish
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
Helps to soften the upper layer of the skin and create a nice product consistency
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin
A non-living ingredient made by fermentation with the bacteria Lactobacillus. It can help attract water to the upper layer of the skin and might help reduce inflammation
A silicone that works to soften the upper layer of the skin and reduce its water loss
Works as a UV filter when used in high concentrations. It is photostable and is effective mostly against the UVB light, with some protection in the UVA range. In small concentrations, used for its ability to improve the color of cosmetic products. Is usually well tolerated by the skin
Potential irritants
Used for skin exfoliation. It has an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effect, helps to unclog pores, prevent blemishes and speed up healing of the existing ones. Sometimes referred to as a BHA (beta-hydroxy acid)
A plant extract that helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and might have some anti-oxidant properties
Traditionally used to treat sunburns, dermatitis and inflammation, but evidence for its effectiveness is lacking. The extract can contain humectants that help attract water into the skin
Used to thicken the product formulation and might help to add minerals to the surface of the skin. It is used in scrubs as a physical exfoliant. Can increase sensitivity to other ingredients if left on the skin or used in high concentration
Helps preserve products and creates a nice product texture
A more stable but less bio-available form of vitamin E compared to Tocopherol. Might help moisturize and protect the skin from free radicals, but mostly used in low concentrations to stabilize other ingredients.
Comedogenic ingredients
We couldn't find any comedogenic ingredients in this product
All ingredients
Used for skin exfoliation. It has an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effect, helps to unclog pores, prevent blemishes and speed up healing of the existing ones. Sometimes referred to as a BHA (beta-hydroxy acid)
A silicone that helps improve the product texture and spreadability. Can absorb oil creating a short-term mattifying effect on the skin
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
A silicone that serves as an emollient. Helps create a nice non-greasy feels
A type of silicone that helps create a nice product consistency and support the delivery of other ingredients
A silicone that mixes with water creating nice light-weight product texture
A silicone that helps to reduce water loss from the surface of the skin. Can temporarily "fill in" lines and wrinkles, absorb oil, and create a nice product finish
A type of silicone that helps water and oil mix together. Can help to soften upper layer of the skin
Helps to absord oil and evenly disperse other ingredients (for example, pigment) in product formulation
An emollient that helps soften the skin. It also forms a protective on its surface to reduce water loss.
Brazilian palm wax. Helps soften the upper layer of the skin
Helps to soften the upper layer of the skin and create a nice product consistency
Traditionally used to treat sunburns, dermatitis and inflammation, but evidence for its effectiveness is lacking. The extract can contain humectants that help attract water into the skin
Used to thicken the product formulation and might help to add minerals to the surface of the skin. It is used in scrubs as a physical exfoliant. Can increase sensitivity to other ingredients if left on the skin or used in high concentration
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin
Helps preserve products and creates a nice product texture
Helps to create a nice product texture
A non-living ingredient made by fermentation with the bacteria Lactobacillus. It can help attract water to the upper layer of the skin and might help reduce inflammation
Used mostly for creating emulsions - helping oil and water mix together. Helps soften the upper layer of the skin
Used to stabilize the product formulation and can help absorb oil
A silicone that works to soften the upper layer of the skin and reduce its water loss
A type of volcanic glass. Absorbs moisture and can temporarily mattify the skin
A plant extract that helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and might have some anti-oxidant properties
A more stable but less bio-available form of vitamin E compared to Tocopherol. Might help moisturize and protect the skin from free radicals, but mostly used in low concentrations to stabilize other ingredients.
A type of silicone that helps oil and water mix well together. Helps to disperse other ingredients, e.g. pigments, evenly in a formulation
A preservative. It helps prevent bacterial growth in cosmetic products
An umbrella term for the following three colorants: CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499. They might be able to offer some protection against visible light, but the degree of the protection is not clear
An umbrella term for the following three colorants: CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499. They might be able to offer some protection against visible light, but the degree of the protection is not clear
An umbrella term for the following three colorants: CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499. They might be able to offer some protection against visible light, but the degree of the protection is not clear
Works as a UV filter when used in high concentrations. It is photostable and is effective mostly against the UVB light, with some protection in the UVA range. In small concentrations, used for its ability to improve the color of cosmetic products. Is usually well tolerated by the skin
A broad spectrum sunblock (protects from both UVA and UVB rays). Is suitable for most sensitive skins. In small concentrations, can be used as a colorant
Ingredient list view
Salicylic acid, Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Nylon-12, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Peg/ppg-18/18 dimethicone, Dimethicone, Cetyl peg/ppg-10/1 dimethicone, Boron nitride, Isodecyl neopentanoate, Copernicia cerifera cera, Copernicia cerifera wax, Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, Sea salt, Alpha-glucan oligosaccharide, Caprylyl glycol, Dimethicone/bis-isobutyl ppg-20 crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, Lactobacillus, Lecithin, Maltodextrin, Peg-10 dimethicone, Perlite, Polymnia sonchifolia root juice, Tetrasodium edta, Tocopheryl acetate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Trisiloxane, Phenoxyethanol, Iron oxides, Ci 77491, Iron oxides, Ci 77492, Iron oxides, Ci 77499, Titanium dioxide, Ci 77891, Zinc oxide, Ci 77947
- Salicylic acid as a peeling agent: a comprehensive review
- Beta Hydroxy Acids
- A review of toxicity from topical salicylic acid preparations
- Glycolic Acid Peels Versus Salicylic–Mandelic Acid Peels in Active Acne Vulgaris and Post‐Acne Scarring and Hyperpigmentation: A Comparative Study
- Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functions
- Dimethicone as a protective ingredient in topical medications
- Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Dimethicone Copolyol
- Safety Assessment of Boron Nitride as Used in Cosmetics
- A review of inorganic UV filters zinc oxide and titanium dioxide
- Risk assessment of zinc oxide, a cosmetic ingredient used as a UV filter of sunscreens
- Characterization of the UVA protection provided by avobenzone, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide in broad-spectrum sunscreen products
- Ultraviolet Protection Properties of Commercial Sunscreens and Sunscreens Containing Zno Nanorods
- ZnO nanoparticles and organic chemical UV-filters are equally well tolerated by human immune cells