Works for:
based on ingredients and %- Evens skin tone
- Anti-aging
- Moisturizing
- Exfoliation
Can it cause trouble?
- Irritation risk: high
- Comedogenic risk ingredients: 0
Key actives
Product Summary
"PCA SKIN - Pigment Gel Pro" has a good moisturizing formula. To work well, any moisturizer needs to include a combination of water-binding and emollient ingredients. PCA SKIN - Pigment Gel Pro ticks this box. Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid and butylene glycol in this product (humectants) attract water molecules to the upper layer of the skin (the water comes from the outside air or from the deeper layers of the skin if the air is dry). Pentylene glycol 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
- We particularly like that there is a good concentration of niacinamide (niacinamide 2.10% - 3.10%) in this moisturizer. Niacinamide is a well-studied multi-tasking active. It is a great ingredient to have in a moisturizer. It is stable, and can work well in almost any hydrating formulation. There is solid evidence that niacinamide can help support skin barrier, regulate oil production and reduce acne and clogged pores. It also helps to fight photodamage and help improve the skin tone, reducing pigmentation marks.
- This product contains acids (gluconolactone and lactic acid). Their concentration is low, and they will not have a strong exfoliating effect. Instead, they work to support the skin natural acid mantle and to attract water (as humectants). PHAs (gluconolactone) especially are great for improving skin hydration. They might be even able to stimulate the production of skin's natural humectants and support the healthy skin microbiome.
Irritation risk
There are some common irritants in this product, including ingredients that do not have benefits for the skin. We assess the overall irritancy of this moisturizer to be high. 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 from 96.00$ up to 120.00$ in the United States.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Anti-aging
What does the product description say?
Key Benefits Delivers a visibly dramatic reduction in the appearance of stubborn discolorationHelps improve the appearance of discoloration as early in as 4 weeksHelps fade the size and intensity of dark spots while helping protect against the appearance of new dark spotsHelps minimize the appearance of brown patches left behind by hormonal changes and other forms of discolorationEffective on all skin types and tones
Source: Bluemercury
This product can help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness because it contains gluconolactone, niacinamide.
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
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?
The result is skin that appears more even and bright with continued use.
Source: Bluemercury
This product can help reduce hypepigmentation and even out the skin tone because it contains the following effective ingredients: gluconolactone, niacinamide, tranexamic acid
The following ingredient (ingredients) in this product might be helpful, but there is no evidence to confirm that it actually can help even out the skin tone: glycyrrhiza glabra root extract, hexylresorcinol.
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
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
An amino acid that is effective in reducing hyperpigmentation and evening out the skin tone. It can also help in skin barrier recovery. It is used to treat melasma, especially with injections and when taken orally
A plant extract that can help lighten the skin and calm down inflammation. Might be helpful in neutralizing free radicals
Might be helpful in reducing hyperpigmentation and neutralizing free radicals in skin
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
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.
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)
Moisturizing
This product contains good ingredients to attract water to the upper layer of the skin. These ingredients are called "humectants": hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, butylene glycol.
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. If the air is dry, humectants can speed up the moisture loss from the skin. This is why it is a good idea to use another product on top of this one to help "seal in" the moisture (look for ingredients like dimethicone, squalane, oils and butters).
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
An amino acid that is effective in reducing hyperpigmentation and evening out the skin tone. It can also help in skin barrier recovery. It is used to treat melasma, especially with injections and when taken orally
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Attracts water into the upper layer of the skin. A version of it is naturally present in skin
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
Used to create a nice product texture and help delivery of other ingredients. Might be somewhat helpful in attracting water to the upper layer of the skin
Used to preserve products, dissolve other ingredients and create a nice product texture
Used as a fragrance. Can be irritating
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)
Used to add a nice rose smell to the product. Might help attract water to the upper layer of the skin and have some anti-oxidant effect. Can be irritating
Anti-blemish
This product might be able to help reduce blemishes and clogged pores because it contains niacinamide.
The following ingredient (ingredients) in this product might be helpful, but there is no evidence to confirm that it actually works: gluconolactone
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
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
Anti-oxidation
This product contains antioxidants (gluconolactone, hexylresorcinol) 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
Might be helpful in reducing hyperpigmentation and neutralizing free radicals in skin
A plant extract that can help lighten the skin and calm down inflammation. Might be helpful in neutralizing free radicals
An active component of chamomile plant that historically has been used to calm down irritated skin. A recent study shows that bisabolol indeed can have some anti-inflammatory effect on skin, even though conclusive data is lacking. Bisabolol has a sweet floral scent and can be added to products for its aromatic properties
Used to add a nice rose smell to the product. Might help attract water to the upper layer of the skin and have some anti-oxidant effect. Can be irritating
How honest is this product?
| Promise | Can it deliver? |
|---|---|
| Anti-aging | |
| Evens skin tone |
Total Promises Fulfilled score: 100/100.
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Potential irritants
Comedogenic ingredients
No comedogenic ingredients detected
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Key Actives
Potential irritants
Comedogenic ingredients
We couldn't find any comedogenic ingredients in this product
All ingredients
Ingredient list view
Water, Alcohol, Hamamelis virginiana water, Butylene glycol, Niacinamide, Lactic acid, Gluconolactone, Sodium polyacryloyldimethyl taurate, Tranexamic acid, Bisabolol, Hexylresorcinol, Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, Propyl gallate, Pentylene glycol, 4-butylresorcinol, Glabridin, Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract, Rosa damascena flower oil, Rosa damascena flower water
- 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
- 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
- Effect of tranexamic acid on melasma: a clinical trial with histological evaluation
- Tranexamic acid accelerates skin barrier recovery and upregulates occludin in damaged skin
- The amelioration effect of tranexamic acid in wrinkles induced by skin dryness
- Efficacy and possible mechanisms of topical tranexamic acid in melasma
- α-(-)-Bisabolol Reduces Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Production and Ameliorates Skin Inflammation
- Efficacy of a New Topical Nano-hyaluronic Acid in Humans
- Physiochemical properties and application of hyaluronic acid: a systematic review
- Annex I: Clinical evidence regarding sensitisation to individual fragrance chemicals and to natural extracts