Works for
ExfoliationSalicylic acid, Microcrystalline cellulose + 2 moreWorks well
“Rice-based powder activates upon contact with water, releasing Papain, Salicylic Acid and Rice Enzymes to polish skin to perfection.”
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.
Evens skin toneSalicylic acid, Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract + 1 moreNot delivered
“A Skin Brightening Complex of Phytic Acid from Rice Bran, White Tea and Licorice helps balance uneven skin tone while a super-soothing blend of Colloidal Oatmeal and Allantoin helps calm skin.”
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.
MoisturizingSide benefit · Colloidal oatmeal, Pca + 2 moreWorks well
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:
pca.
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: colloidal oatmeal.
The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: colloidal oatmeal
Anti-blemishSide benefit · Salicylic acid, Ginkgo biloba leaf extract + 2 moreWorks well
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.
Anti-oxidationSide benefit · Ginkgo biloba leaf extract, Colloidal oatmeal + 2 moreMay help
This product contains antioxidants (ginkgo biloba leaf extract) 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.
Can it cause trouble?
Irritancy3 strong irritants: Melaleuca alternifolia leaf oil, Citrus paradisi peel oil + 1 more — patch-test recommendedHigh risk
ComedogenicClean of flagged comedogenic ingredientsNone flagged
User reviews
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Ingredients
Filter by role to see what each ingredient is doing.
Microcrystalline cellulose~22–33%
Magnesium oxide~4.7–7%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Sodium cocoyl isethionate~4.8–7.2%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps water and oil mix together. Can be used as a cleansing agent
More about Sodium cocoyl isethionateColloidal oatmeal~3.8–5.7%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps to restore skin barrier function, soften the upper layer of the skin and calm down inflammation
More about Colloidal oatmealDisodium lauryl sulfosuccinate~2.9–4.3%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Used as a cleansing agent. Helps water and oil mix together
More about Disodium lauryl sulfosuccinateSodium lauroyl glutamate~1.9–2.9%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Used as a cleansing agent. It creates foam
More about Sodium lauroyl glutamateOryza sativa bran extract~1.6–2.4%
Oryza sativa starch~1.4–2.1%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Hydrogenated coconut acid~1.2–1.8%
Allantoin~0.6–1.35%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps calm down inflammation in skin and can help reduce itching. Helps to repair the skin barrier and keep skin hydrated
More about AllantoinPapain~0.6–1.35%
- Irritation risk
- High
An enzyme extracted from papaya fruit. Can have an exfoliating effect on the skin. Can be irritating
More about PapainSalicylic acid~0.5–1.1%
- Irritation risk
- High
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)
More about Salicylic acidGinkgo biloba leaf extract~0.45–1.05%
- Irritation risk
- High
A plant extract that might help neutralize free radicals and reduce inflammation in skin. It can be irritating
More about Ginkgo biloba leaf extractCamellia sinensis leaf extract~0.45–1%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Can contain potent anti-oxidant compounds (abbreviated ECG, GCG, EGC, and EGCG) that might help protect the skin from free radicals. Can help calm down inflammation and has some anti-bacterial properties. Unfortunately, these antioxidants are unstable and lose their effectiveness very quickly in products. The concentration of the antioxidant compounds in the extract also tends to be low to be effective in topical formulation
More about Camellia sinensis leaf extractGlycyrrhiza glabra root extract~0.4–1%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
A plant extract that can help lighten the skin and calm down inflammation. Might be helpful in neutralizing free radicals
More about Glycyrrhiza glabra root extractPca~0.4–0.9%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Naturally present in skin and helps to attract water to its upper layer
More about PcaPopulus tremuloides bark extract~0.4–0.9%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Cyclodextrin~0.35–0.75%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A type of sugar that is used to support delivery of active ingredients and can enhance their penetration into the skin without disrupting the skin's barrier
More about CyclodextrinSodium isethionate~0.35–0.8%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Lauryl methacrylate/glycol dimethacrylate crosspolymer~0.35–0.8%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Maltodextrin~0.35–0.8%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Used to stabilize the product formulation and can help absorb oil
More about MaltodextrinMelaleuca alternifolia leaf oil~0.15–0.5%
- Irritation risk
- High
An essential oil that can be irritating. Has some anti-bacterial properties
More about Melaleuca alternifolia leaf oilCitrus paradisi peel oil~0.1–0.4%
Sodium dehydroacetate~0.1–0.4%
Hydrolyzed corn starch hydroxyethyl ether~0.1–0.4%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Water~0.1–0.35%
Limonene~0.05–0.25%
- Irritation risk
- High
A common frangrance that can easily irritate skin, especially if exposed to air, light or heat
More about LimoneneCitric acid~0.05–0.2%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Can work as an exfoliant but is typically used to adjust the product pH
More about Citric acidIngredient list view
Microcrystalline cellulose, Magnesium oxide, Sodium cocoyl isethionate, Colloidal oatmeal, Disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate, Sodium lauroyl glutamate, Oryza sativa bran extract, Oryza sativa starch, Hydrogenated coconut acid, Allantoin, Papain, Salicylic acid, Ginkgo biloba leaf extract, Camellia sinensis leaf extract, Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract, Pca, Populus tremuloides bark extract, Cyclodextrin, Sodium isethionate, Lauryl methacrylate/glycol dimethacrylate crosspolymer, Maltodextrin, Melaleuca alternifolia leaf oil, Citrus paradisi peel oil, Sodium dehydroacetate, Hydrolyzed corn starch hydroxyethyl ether, Water, Limonene, Citric acid
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Worth comparing, line by line.
Match % combines shared ingredients, the first five ingredients, shared actives and hero ingredients, irritancy (lower counts in the alternative's favour), texture and body area. Only products in the same routine step are compared.
| Dermalogicaour brightening iconYOUR PRODUCT | natureofthingsClarifying Facial Polish | PEACH & LILYGlass Skin Face Polisher | NeutrogenaAcne Stress Control Power-Clear Scrub | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match | — | 85% | 73% | 66% |
| Price | — | $65.00 | $48.00 | $9.57 |
| Shared key ingredients | — | 2 of 6 | 3 of 6 | 2 of 6 |
| Key difference | — | Niacinamide | Diglycerin | Glycolic Acid |
| Irritancy | High | Medium | Medium | Medium |
| Drying alcohol | — | — | — | — |
| View product | Shop | Shop | Shop |
More alternatives: floun Holy Basil Facial Pack To FoamDr. Bailey Skin Care Glowing Skin Perfect Pairing
Product summary
"Dermalogica - our brightening icon" is effective for: Exfoliation, Moisturizing and Anti-blemish
This product could be helpful for: Anti-oxidation, but its actives are not the most effective or are not well-studied.
Ingredient callouts
- Salicylic acid (0.50% - 1.10%). 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.
- In addition, this product contains Allantoin (0.60% - 1.35%). Allantoin is helpful in wound-healing and can help restore the skin barrier faster. It might also be able to improve scars, but the evidence is not very strong for this.
- Humectants (pca 0.40% - 0.90%). 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 "Dermalogica" is cruelty free, but its parent company is not.
Sources cited in this review
Every concentration estimate and effectiveness label is anchored to one of these 11 studies and safety reviews.
- 1Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Sodium Cocoyl Isethionatejournals.sagepub.com
- 2
- 3
- 4Salicylic acid as a peeling agent: a comprehensive reviewncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 5Beta Hydroxy Acidsfda.gov
- 6A review of toxicity from topical salicylic acid preparationssciencedirect.com
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