"Image skincare - IMAGE MD restoring brightening crème" is a well-rounded moisturizing product. The formulation is based on a combination of good humectants and emollients. Both are needed to increase the skin hydration level. Humectants in this product (glycerin and caprylyl glycol) help to increase the water content in the upper layer of the skin. (These ingredients do so by "capturing" water molecules from the outside air or from within the deeper layers of the skin). Ceramide 3, glycine soja oil, hippophae rhamnoides oil, caprylic/capric triglyceride and dimethicone in this product help decrease the water evoporation from the skin, so that it stays hydrated for longer. These ingredients also soften the skin and take away the feeling of tightness and dryness.

Ingredient callouts

As a plus, this moisturizer also contains Ceramides (ceramide 3 0.30% - 0.60%). Ceramides are a type of lipids that our skin produces itself. They are a building block of the skin's barrier. Ceramides used in skincare are synthetic or extracted from plants. They work well for softening the skin surface and "patch holes" in the skin's barrier.

This product contains ingredients that could be beneficial, but their concentrations are too low in this formulation: ergothioneine, vitamin e, butyrospermum parkii butter, stearic acid, lecithin and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate

Irritation risk

This moisturizer contains some common irritants, including those without a benefit for the skin. We assess the overall irritancy of this moisturizer to be medium. For a detailed overview of all potential irritants: click here

You can see the detailed formula review with the breakdown of all actives in the product and the full ingredient list with estimated concentrations in the tables below.

Price

The product retails for 70.00$ in the United States and for 71.98£ in the United Kingdom.

For a detailed price comparison: click here.

What can the product work for?

Does not work for

Evens skin tone

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: caprylic/capric triglyceride, dimethicone.

The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: ceramide 3

squalane 0.35% - 0.65%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: HIGH

An oil naturally present in skin. Works as an emollient to soften the skin and form a protective layer on its surface without a greasy feeling.

ceramide 3 0.3% - 0.6%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: HIGH

A type of lipid similar to ceramides naturally present in skin. Helps to soften the upper layer of the skin and supports the skin barrier function to keep it hydrated. Can help to prevent inflammation in skin

glycine soja oil 0.2% - 0.35%

Irritation risk: Comedogenicity: Medium

Concentration: Effectiveness: HIGH

A good emollient that helps soften the skin and helps repair its barrier function. It can clog pores if used in high concentrations.

Anti-oxidation

This product contains antioxidants (silybin) 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.

silybin 0.3% - 0.5%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: MEDIUM

glycyrrhiza glabra root extract 0.25% - 0.45%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: LOW

A plant extract that can help lighten the skin and calm down inflammation. Might be helpful in neutralizing free radicals

hippophae rhamnoides oil 0.45% - 0.65%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: LOW

A good emollient. Contains various ingredients including vitamins and fatty acids that could work in the skin to neutralize free radicals and minimize moisture loss - if enough of these compounds is able to penetrate the skin in an active form.

Evens skin tone

What does the product description say?

This targeted brightening crème helps to correct the appearance of unwanted pigmentation for a more radiant complexion.

Source: Image skincare

This product contains ingredients (glycyrrhiza glabra root extract) that could help reduce hyperpigmentation (for example, post-acne marks or age spots) in theory, but there is not enough evidence that they actually work.

glycyrrhiza glabra root extract 0.25% - 0.45%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: LOW

A plant extract that can help lighten the skin and calm down inflammation. Might be helpful in neutralizing free radicals

tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate 1.7% - 2.1%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Insufficient!

Being a lipid soluble form of vitamin C, it is more stable than ascorbic acid, but still degrades quickly and needs to be stabilized in a formulation with another ingredient. It is claimed to penetrate skin better than pure vitamin C and have the the similar benefits, but solid studies of its effectiveness are lacking. Is likely to require a higher concentration in a product than pure vitamin C to be effective. It might be able to help reduce pore clogging.

3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid 0.25% - 0.5%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Insufficient!

A vitamin C derivative that is more stable but less potent than pure form of vitamin C. Can help neutralize free radicals and help reduce hyperpigmentation, but the required concentration is likely to be much higher than for the pure form of vitamin C, limiting the ingredient's effectiveness in products

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Ingredients & concentrations

All ingredients

Key Actives

tocopherol 0.2% - 0.35%

Irritation risk:

Works for: Anti-oxidation, Anti-aging, Moisturizing, Anti-inflammatory

Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself

tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate 1.7% - 2.1%

Irritation risk:

Works for: Anti-aging, Evens skin tone, Anti-oxidation

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Potential irritants

bellis perennis flower extract 4.5% - 5.5%

Irritation risk:

A plant extract. Used as a fragrance. Can be irritating

curcuma longa root extract 0.4% - 0.6%

Irritation risk:

Works for: Anti-inflammatory

A plant extract that can contain an active compound curcumin, that may have some anti-inflammatory properties when applied to the skin, but solid research is lacking and the typical concentration used in skincare products is too low. Can be an irritant

Comodogenic ingredients

cetearyl alcohol 1.6% - 1.9%

Irritation risk: Comedogenicity: Medium

Works for: Cleansing, Moisturizing

A non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture

gossypium herbaceum seed oil 0.55% - 0.8%

Irritation risk: Comedogenicity: High

Works for: Moisturizing

Cottonseed oil. It is used as an emollient and occlusive in products. It is rich palmitic, oleic acid, and linoleic fatty acids.

All ingredients

water 45% - 55%

Irritation risk:

Plain old water

caprylic/capric triglyceride 5.8% - 7.1%

Irritation risk:

Works for: Moisturizing

A good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin

bellis perennis flower extract 4.5% - 5.5%

Irritation risk:

A plant extract. Used as a fragrance. Can be irritating

Ingredient list view

Water, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Bellis perennis flower extract, Butylene glycol dicaprylate/dicaprate, Glycerin, Cetyl alcohol, Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, Cetearyl alcohol, Dimethicone, Glyceryl stearate, Peg-100 stearate, Elaeis fruit oil, Gossypium herbaceum seed oil, Bidens pilosa extract, Hydrogenated phosphatidylcholine, Lecithin, Phenoxyethanol, Curcuma longa root extract, Hippophae rhamnoides oil, Palmitic acid, Stearic acid, Hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, Linum usitatissimum seed oil, Silybin, Squalane, Ceteth-10 phosphate, Dicetyl phosphate, Caprylyl glycol, Butyrospermum parkii butter, Ceramide 3, Citrus aurantium dulcis peel oil, Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract, Xanthan gum, Pentylene glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene glycol, 3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid, Disodium edta, Ppg-12/smdi copolymer, Aminomethyl propanol, Polysorbate 60, Tocopherol, Glycine soja oil, Sorbitan isostearate, Methyl undecylenoyl dipeptide-16, Lepidium sativum sprout extract, Ergothioneine

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Price
WIMJ similarity score		47%	47%	46%	45%	45%	43%	43%	43%	43%	42%
Key ingredients	tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate 3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid +10 more	Common: 3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid 3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid +10 more Other: niacinamide niacinamide +12 more	Common: ceramide 3 dimethicone +4 more Other: niacinamide caprooyl tetrapeptide-3 +12 more	Common: ceramide 3 dimethicone +3 more Other: cyclomethicone oenothera biennis oil +1 more	Common: 3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid caprylic/capric triglyceride +2 more Other: sodium hyaluronate	Common: ceramide 3 caprylic/capric triglyceride +2 more Other: phytosphingosine ceramide 1 +5 more	Common: ceramide 3 butyrospermum parkii butter +4 more Other: camellia sinensis leaf extract allantoin	Common: ceramide 3 butyrospermum parkii butter +3 more Other:	Common: tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate dimethicone +2 more Other: hexapeptide-2 ceramide eop +9 more	Common: ceramide 3 butyrospermum parkii butter +2 more Other: paraffinum liquidum ceramide 6 ii +5 more	Common: ceramide 3 butyrospermum parkii butter +3 more Other: ectoin glycine +1 more
Irritancy	IRRITANCY MEDIUM	IRRITANCY MEDIUM	IRRITANCY LOW	IRRITANCY LOW	IRRITANCY LOW	IRRITANCY LOW	IRRITANCY MEDIUM	IRRITANCY LOW	IRRITANCY LOW	IRRITANCY LOW	IRRITANCY LOW
Potential Irritants	3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid Has skin benefit? citrus aurantium dulcis peel oil Has skin benefit? +15 more	phenylpropanol Has skin benefit? 3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid Has skin benefit? +16 more	sodium lauroyl lactylate Has skin benefit? ethylhexylglycerin Has skin benefit? +2 more	piroctone olamine Has skin benefit? 1,2-hexanediol Has skin benefit? +9 more	3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid Has skin benefit? trisodium ethylenediamine disuccinate Has skin benefit? +8 more	propylene glycol Has skin benefit? hydroxyacetophenone Has skin benefit? +9 more	eucalyptus globulus leaf oil Has skin benefit? chrysanthemum parthenium extract Has skin benefit? +4 more	pentylene glycol Has skin benefit? caprylic/capric triglyceride Has skin benefit?	ethylhexylglycerin Has skin benefit? hexylene glycol Has skin benefit? +7 more	polysorbate 60 Has skin benefit? sodium lauroyl lactylate Has skin benefit?	cardiospermum halicacabum flower/leaf/vine extract Has skin benefit? pentylene glycol Has skin benefit? +2 more
All ingredients	water Has skin benefit? caprylic/capric triglyceride Has skin benefit? +45 more	water Has skin benefit? butyrospermum parkii butter Has skin benefit? +50 more	water Has skin benefit? glycerin Has skin benefit? +32 more	water Has skin benefit? glycerin Has skin benefit? +20 more	water Has skin benefit? glycerin Has skin benefit? +21 more	water Has skin benefit? hexyl laurate Has skin benefit? +27 more	water Has skin benefit? stearic acid Has skin benefit? +20 more	water Has skin benefit? caprylic/capric triglyceride Has skin benefit? +6 more	water Has skin benefit? glycerin Has skin benefit? +31 more	water Has skin benefit? glycerin Has skin benefit? +25 more	ectoin Has skin benefit? water Has skin benefit? +18 more

PRODUCT REVIEW

Image skincare IMAGE MD restoring brightening crème

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Doesn't work for:

Can it cause trouble?

Key actives

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Product summary

Ingredient callouts

Irritation risk

Price

What can the product work for?

Works for

Does not work for

Moisturizing

Anti-oxidation

Evens skin tone

What does the product description say?

Honesty check

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Potential irritants

Comodogenic ingredients

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Potential irritants

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All ingredients

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