Works for:
based on ingredients and %- Exfoliation
- Evens skin tone
- Anti-aging
- Anti-oxidation
Doesn't work for:
based on ingredients and %- Anti-blemish
Can it cause trouble?
- Irritation risk: high
- Comedogenic risk ingredients: 0
Key actives
Product Summary
"Burt's Bees - Clear & Balanced Even Tone Liquid Exfoliant" is effective for: Exfoliation, Evens skin tone and Anti-aging
This product could be helpful for: Moisturizing, but its actives are not the most effective or are not well-studied.
Ingredient callouts
- Exfoliating acids (lactic acid 3.70% - 5.50%). In this concentration, they will have a noticeable exfoliating effect. They can also have an anti-aging effect and stimulate collagen production in a long-run. PHAs (gluconolactone 2.80% - 4.20%) in this product also work for improving skin hydration. They might be even able to stimulate the production of skin's natural humectants and support the healthy skin microbiome.
- Humectants (sodium pca 1.60% - 2.50%, lactic acid 3.70% - 5.50% and arginine 5.90% - 8.90%). These ingredients help attract water to the upper layer of the skin and improve the skin hydration.
About the brand
According to Cruelty-Free Kitty "Burt's Bees" is cruelty free, but its parent company is not.
Works for
Does not work for
Anti-aging
This product can help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness because it contains gluconolactone.
These ingredients in the product can also be helpful, even though there is less evidence for their effectiveness: lactic acid.
Keep in mind that it typically takes at least 6 weeks to notice any results because the changes that are needed to improve fine lines and elasticity happen in the deeper layers of the skin. No topical anti-aging product can “erase” wrinkles or fully reverse signs of aging.
A polyhydroxy acid (PHA) that helps shed the dead cells from the skin surface revealing smoother skin. Is believed to be genter than AHAs. It helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can stimulate production of skin's own hyaluronic acid resulting in improved hydration levels. It has been shown to be helpful against acne and clogged pores if used consistently (e.g over a period of 12 weeks) in high enough concentration. It can help reduce fine lines and wrinkles and improve skin tone with long-term application. Can help neutralize free radicals
An exfoliating and moisturizing alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). Typically causes less irritation than other AHAs, for example, glycolic acid. At high concentrations (about 15%), lactic acid can help reduce lines and wrinkles. Recent studies show that lactic acid can support the "good" bacteria living on skin's surface (healthy skin microbiome)
Evens skin tone
What does the product description say?
Clear & Balanced Even Tone Liquid Exfoliant
Source: From product name
This product can help reduce hypepigmentation and even out the skin tone because it contains the following effective ingredients: gluconolactone, lactic acid
Keep in mind that you would need to apply any topical skincare targetted at hypigmentation consistently for a couple of months to get a result. No topical skincare product can help get rid of hyperpigmentation (including post-acne marks and age spots) instantly.
A polyhydroxy acid (PHA) that helps shed the dead cells from the skin surface revealing smoother skin. Is believed to be genter than AHAs. It helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can stimulate production of skin's own hyaluronic acid resulting in improved hydration levels. It has been shown to be helpful against acne and clogged pores if used consistently (e.g over a period of 12 weeks) in high enough concentration. It can help reduce fine lines and wrinkles and improve skin tone with long-term application. Can help neutralize free radicals
An exfoliating and moisturizing alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). Typically causes less irritation than other AHAs, for example, glycolic acid. At high concentrations (about 15%), lactic acid can help reduce lines and wrinkles. Recent studies show that lactic acid can support the "good" bacteria living on skin's surface (healthy skin microbiome)
Exfoliation
What does the product description say?
Clear & Balanced Even Tone Liquid Exfoliant
Source: From product name
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: gluconolactone, lactic acid.
A polyhydroxy acid (PHA) that helps shed the dead cells from the skin surface revealing smoother skin. Is believed to be genter than AHAs. It helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can stimulate production of skin's own hyaluronic acid resulting in improved hydration levels. It has been shown to be helpful against acne and clogged pores if used consistently (e.g over a period of 12 weeks) in high enough concentration. It can help reduce fine lines and wrinkles and improve skin tone with long-term application. Can help neutralize free radicals
An exfoliating and moisturizing alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). Typically causes less irritation than other AHAs, for example, glycolic acid. At high concentrations (about 15%), lactic acid can help reduce lines and wrinkles. Recent studies show that lactic acid can support the "good" bacteria living on skin's surface (healthy skin microbiome)
A plant extract that might contain salicylic acid
Anti-oxidation
This product contains antioxidants (gluconolactone) that might be able to help neutralize free radicals in skin to lessen the damage it gets from the UV light (sun). There is not enough evidence to confirm their effectiveness in skin though.
A polyhydroxy acid (PHA) that helps shed the dead cells from the skin surface revealing smoother skin. Is believed to be genter than AHAs. It helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can stimulate production of skin's own hyaluronic acid resulting in improved hydration levels. It has been shown to be helpful against acne and clogged pores if used consistently (e.g over a period of 12 weeks) in high enough concentration. It can help reduce fine lines and wrinkles and improve skin tone with long-term application. Can help neutralize free radicals
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:
arginine, lactic acid.
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: arginine, glyceryl caprylate.
Naturally present in skin and helps to attract water to its upper layer
A polyhydroxy acid (PHA) that helps shed the dead cells from the skin surface revealing smoother skin. Is believed to be genter than AHAs. It helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can stimulate production of skin's own hyaluronic acid resulting in improved hydration levels. It has been shown to be helpful against acne and clogged pores if used consistently (e.g over a period of 12 weeks) in high enough concentration. It can help reduce fine lines and wrinkles and improve skin tone with long-term application. Can help neutralize free radicals
An exfoliating and moisturizing alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). Typically causes less irritation than other AHAs, for example, glycolic acid. At high concentrations (about 15%), lactic acid can help reduce lines and wrinkles. Recent studies show that lactic acid can support the "good" bacteria living on skin's surface (healthy skin microbiome)
An amino acid that is naturally present in skin and helps keep it hydrated. When used together with AHAs, it can reduce their irritating effect on the skin
An emollient that can also help water and oil mix together, as well as prevent bacteria growth in products
Anti-blemish
What does the product description say?
Reduce the look of pores and improve the look of uneven pigmentation like dark spots and post acne blemish marks.
Source: Burt's Bees US
This product contains ingredients (gluconolactone) that could help reduce blemishes and clogged pores in theory, but there is not enough evidence that they actually work.
A polyhydroxy acid (PHA) that helps shed the dead cells from the skin surface revealing smoother skin. Is believed to be genter than AHAs. It helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can stimulate production of skin's own hyaluronic acid resulting in improved hydration levels. It has been shown to be helpful against acne and clogged pores if used consistently (e.g over a period of 12 weeks) in high enough concentration. It can help reduce fine lines and wrinkles and improve skin tone with long-term application. Can help neutralize free radicals
How honest is this product?
| Promise | Can it deliver? |
|---|---|
| Exfoliation | |
| Evens skin tone | |
| Anti-blemish |
Total Promises Fulfilled score: 83/100.
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Potential irritants
Comedogenic ingredients
No comedogenic ingredients detected
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| Product | Similarity | Price | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
Burt's Bees Clear & Balanced Even Tone Liquid Exfoliant | Current | $-1.00 | |
MDSUN Skin Exfoliation Pads | 60% | $4.00 | |
Bliss Pro Liquid Exfoliant | 59% | $24.00 | |
Go-To Skin Care Gentle Exfoliator | 58% | $5.99 | |
Luzern AHA EXFOLIATING PADS | 57% | $110.00 | |
 Herbivore Milky Way Sérum Exfoliant 10% Acide Lactique | 57% | $65.00 |
Key Actives
Potential irritants
Comedogenic ingredients
We couldn't find any comedogenic ingredients in this product
All ingredients
Ingredient list view
Water, Arginine, Lactic acid, Gluconolactone, Propanediol, Sodium pca, Salix nigra bark extract, Caprylyl/capryl glucoside, Parfum, Sodium cocoyl glutamate, Glyceryl caprylate, Citric acid, Polyglyceryl-6 oleate, Sodium surfactin, Citronellol, Limonene, Amyl cinnamal, Parfum
- Epidermal and dermal effects of topical lactic acid
- Dual Effects of Alpha-Hydroxy Acids on the Skin
- A comparative study of gluconolactone versus benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of acne
- The Polyhydroxy Acid Gluconolactone Protects Against Ultraviolet Radiation in an In Vitro Model of Cutaneous Photoaging
- Applications of hydroxy acids: classification, mechanisms, and photoactivity
- The efficacy of glycolic acid, salicylic acid, gluconolactone, and licochalcone A combined with 0.1% adapalene vs adapalene monotherapy in mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris: a double-blinded within-person comparative study
- A polyhydroxy acid skin care regimen provides antiaging effects comparable to an alpha-hydroxyacid regimen
- The use of polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) in photoaged skin
- Blackwell Publishing, Ltd. Alpha-hydroxyacids and carboxylic acids
- An evaluation of a polyhydroxy acid skin care regimen in combination with azelaic acid 15% gel in rosacea patients
- Aging Skin: Causes, Treatments, and Prevention
- Clinical and cosmeceutical uses of hydroxyacids
- Polyhydroxy Acids (PHAs) Provide Conditioning Effects to Skin Without Increasing Sensitivity to UV Light
- Safety Assessment of Amino Acid Alkyl Amides as Used in Cosmetics
- Irritant and sensitizing potential of eight surfactants commonly used in skin cleansers: an evaluation of 105 patients