Works for:
based on ingredients and %- Anti-blemish
- Exfoliation
- Anti-aging
- Moisturizing
Can it cause trouble?
- Irritation risk: high
- Comedogenic risk ingredients: 0
Key actives
Product Summary
"CosMedix - Clarity Skin-Clarifying Serum" is effective for: Anti-aging, Moisturizing, Anti-blemish, Exfoliation and Evens skin tone
Ingredient callouts
- this product contains an effective form of Retinoids (vitamin A): retinol 0.85% - 1.30%. Retinoids are potent multitasking actives. They work to improve and prevent early signs of aging, reduce hyperpigmentation (age spots and post-acne marks), and prevent inflamed blemishes and clogged pores. The downside of Retinoids is that they can be irritating. If you are not already using a Retinoid in your routine, it is best to start slowly and apply the Retinoid product only a few times per week. If your skin tolerates it well, you can gradually increase the frequency to daily.
- Salicylic acid (0.20% - 0.80%). This is an oil-soluble exfoliating acid. Because of this property, it can work inside pores and help reduce the congestion. It has an anti-inflammatory effect and is used to treat acne. Because it is a quite strong exfoliator, be careful with using this product too often: it could result in over-exfoliation.
- Humectants (saccharide isomerate 0.20% - 0.80%, galactoarabinan 0.55% - 1.30% and glycerin 1.40% - 2.10%). 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 "CosMedix" is cruelty free and so is its parent company.
Price
The product retails for 79.00A$ in Australia, for 47.00$ in the United States and for 44.15£ in the United Kingdom.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Anti-aging
This product can help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness because it contains retinol, niacinamide.
These ingredients in the product can also be helpful, even though there is less evidence for their effectiveness: retinyl acetate.
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.
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
Two steps removed from the active form of vitamin A - retinoic acid. Once converted to the retinoic acid in the skin, retinol is proven to be effective against all signs of aging. It improves skin cell turnover, helps fight blemishes and clogged pores, can regulate excess oil production and even skin tone. It can, however, be quite irritating
Is helpful in restoring skin barrier function supporting its moisture levels. Is claimed to stimulte collagen production in skin but evidence is lacking
Anti-blemish
What does the product description say?
Cosmedix Clarity Serum is a unique and very effective blemish fighting product, formulated without irritating ingredients.
Source: Adore beauty
This product can help reduce breakouts and clogged pores because it contains the following ingredient: niacinamide, retinol, salicylic acid. These ingredients 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)
Two steps removed from the active form of vitamin A - retinoic acid. Once converted to the retinoic acid in the skin, retinol is proven to be effective against all signs of aging. It improves skin cell turnover, helps fight blemishes and clogged pores, can regulate excess oil production and even skin tone. It can, however, be quite irritating
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
Anti-oxidation
This product contains antioxidants (retinol) that can help neutralize free radicals in skin. By doing so, they can lessen the damage the skin gets from the UV light (sun).
The following ingredients - epilobium angustifolium flower/leaf/stem extract also can have an antioxidant effect, but there is less evidence to confirm their effectiveness in skin.
Two steps removed from the active form of vitamin A - retinoic acid. Once converted to the retinoic acid in the skin, retinol is proven to be effective against all signs of aging. It improves skin cell turnover, helps fight blemishes and clogged pores, can regulate excess oil production and even skin tone. It can, however, be quite irritating
A plant extract that might contain antioxidants
A plant oil with high content of volatile compounds that can irritate the skin. Can be used as a fragrance. Has anti-bacterial properties and might help neutralize free radicals on the surface of the skin
Evens skin tone
This product can help reduce hypepigmentation and even out the skin tone because it contains the following effective ingredients: retinol.
In addition, this product contains niacinamide, salicylic acid. This ingredient (ingredients) might help reduce hyperpigmentation, but the effect, if any, is likely to be small.
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.
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
Two steps removed from the active form of vitamin A - retinoic acid. Once converted to the retinoic acid in the skin, retinol is proven to be effective against all signs of aging. It improves skin cell turnover, helps fight blemishes and clogged pores, can regulate excess oil production and even skin tone. It can, however, be quite irritating
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)
Exfoliation
What does the product description say?
It helps mattify the look of skin and is gently exfoliating.
Source: Adore beauty
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: retinol, 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)
Two steps removed from the active form of vitamin A - retinoic acid. Once converted to the retinoic acid in the skin, retinol is proven to be effective against all signs of aging. It improves skin cell turnover, helps fight blemishes and clogged pores, can regulate excess oil production and even skin tone. It can, however, be quite irritating
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:
galactoarabinan, glycerin.
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: helianthus annuus seed oil.
The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: niacinamide
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
Is helpful in restoring skin barrier function supporting its moisture levels. Is claimed to stimulte collagen production in skin but evidence is lacking
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin
Helps attract water to the upper layer of 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 great emollient due to its high linoleic acid content. One of the most effective plant oils in helping skin hydration and repairing skin barrier function
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
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
How honest is this product?
| Promise | Can it deliver? |
|---|---|
| Exfoliation | |
| Anti-blemish |
Total Promises Fulfilled score: 100/100.
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Potential irritants
Comedogenic ingredients
No comedogenic ingredients detected
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| Product | Similarity | Price | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
 CosMedix Clarity Skin-Clarifying Serum | Current | $50.00 | |
Perricone MD Retinol Treatment & Moisturizer | 86% | $45.00 | |
Glo Skin Beauty Beta‐Clarity BHA Drops | 85% | $43.20 | |
 Naturium Vitamin C Super Serum Plus | 82% | $25.00 | |
 Honest Beauty Clearing Night Serum With Honestly Pure Retinol | 82% | - | |
 DermExcel Acne Repair serum | 78% | $593.04 |
Key Actives
Potential irritants
Comedogenic ingredients
We couldn't find any comedogenic ingredients in this product
All ingredients
Ingredient list view
Salicylic acid, Melaleuca alternifolia leaf oil, Aloe barbadensis extract, Hamamelis virginiana water, Alcohol denat., Water, Alcohol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Retinol, Retinyl acetate, Galactoarabinan, Hydroxyproline, Salicylic acid, Acetylsalicylic acid, Saccharide isomerate, Helianthus annuus seed oil, Epilobium angustifolium flower/leaf/stem extract, Melaleuca alternifolia leaf oil, Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, Unknown, Collinsonia canadensis extract, Serenoa serrulata fruit extract, Ruscus aculeatus root extract, Aloe barbadensis leaf juice powder, Citrus grandis peel oil, Eucalyptus globulus leaf oil, Rosmarinus officinalis leaf oil, Chamomilla recutita flower extract, Xanthan gum, Potassium sorbate
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- 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
- Niacinamide - mechanisms of action and its topical use in dermatology
- Gehring, W. (2004). Nicotinic acid/niacinamide and the skin. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 3(2), 88–93. doi:10.1111/j.1473-2130.2004.00115.x
- Retinoids in the treatment of skin aging: an overview of clinical efficacy and safety
- Improvement of naturally aged skin with vitamin A (retinol)
- A comparative study of the effects of retinol and retinoic acid on histological, molecular, and clinical properties of human skin
- Topical effects of N-acetyl-L-hydroxyproline on ceramide synthesis and alleviation of pruritus
- Effect of Olive and Sunflower Seed Oil on the Adult Skin Barrier: Implications for Neonatal Skin Care
- Topically Applied Sunflower Seed Oil Prevents Invasive Bacterial Infections in Preterm Infants in Egypt
- Effect of topically applied lipids on surfactant-irritated skin
- Impact of topical oils on the skin barrier: possible implications for neonatal health in developing countries
- Therapeutic Potential of Polyphenols from Epilobium Angustifolium (Fireweed): Polyphenols from Fireweed
- Saw palmetto extract: A dermatologist's perspective
- Assessment report on Rosmarinus officinalis L., aetheroleum and Rosmarinus officinalis L., folium
- Screening of plant extracts for antimicrobial activity against bacteria and yeasts with dermatological relevance
- Occupational contact dermatitis due to essential oils
- The in vitro antimicrobial activity and chemometric modelling of 59 commercial essential oils against pathogens of dermatological relevance
- Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Properties of Rosemary and Sage (Rosmarinus officinalis L. and Salvia officinalis L., Lamiaceae) Essential Oils
- Chemical Composition, Plant Genetic Differences, Antimicrobial and Antifungal Activity Investigation of the Essential Oil of Rosmarinus officinalis L.