Choosing the right facial wash can feel like navigating a complex maze. Understanding the ingredients is crucial for making informed decisions that cater to your skin's specific needs. This article provides an in-depth look at common ingredients found in facial washes, including those potentially present in Guardian facial washes, to help you decode labels and select the best product for your skin.
The Foundation: Water
Water, often listed as "Aqua" on ingredient labels, is the most common ingredient in cosmetics. It usually tops the ingredient lists, which means it constitutes the largest part of the product. In cosmetics, water acts as a solvent, dissolving other ingredients and creating the desired texture. The water used in cosmetics is purified and deionized, meaning that almost all of the mineral ions inside it is removed. It's the foundation upon which the rest of the formula is built.
Cleansing Agents: Surfactants
Surfactants are a critical component of any facial wash, responsible for removing dirt, oil, and impurities from the skin. However, different surfactants have varying degrees of gentleness and potential for irritation.
Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate is a type of sulfate that acts as a surfactant. While effective at cleansing, it can be harsh, potentially causing irritation and dryness, especially for those with dry or oily skin.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a gentler surfactant derived from coconut oil. It functions as a cleanser by helping to gather dirt, pollutants, and other impurities on your skin, allowing them to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and create a creamy texture. As it's created from coconut oil, Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin. While it was previously considered an allergen, a 2012 study found that high-grade, pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions. The irritants were identified as impurities, specifically aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine, found in lower-grade versions.
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Sulfate-Free Cleansing Agents
Sulfate-free cleansing agents are mild and often used alongside other cleansing agents as foam boosters and viscosity builders. These help to create a gentler cleansing experience, minimizing the risk of irritation.
The Preservatives
Preservatives are essential ingredients that prevent the growth of bacteria, mold, and yeast in skincare products, ensuring their safety and extending their shelf life.
Propylene Glycol
Propylene Glycol is a common preservative introduced around 1950 and is used up to 1% worldwide. It can be found in nature, in green tea, but the version used in cosmetics is synthetic. It's considered safe and gentle and has some other advantages, too.
Phenoxyethanol
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative. It works best at acidic pH levels (3-5).
Potassium Sorbate
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative that works mainly against fungi. It’s also a food preservative and even has an E number, E202.
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Citric Acid
Citric acid, derived from citrus fruits, acts as a preservative. It’s not a strong one and doesn’t really work against bacteria, but more against mold and yeast. To do that it has to break down to its active form, sorbic acid. For that to happen, there has to be water in the product and the right pH value (pH 3-4). But even if everything is right, it’s not enough on its own.
Beneficial Additives
Beyond cleansing and preservation, many facial washes incorporate ingredients that offer additional benefits to the skin, such as hydration, soothing, and anti-aging properties.
Niacinamide
Niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3 (also known as nicotinamide), is a multi-tasking ingredient with numerous benefits for the skin. It strengthens the skin barrier, reduces the appearance of pores and dark spots, regulates oil production, and improves signs of aging. It is generally gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin. Niacinamide hasn't been found to cause "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it. If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes. In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution). By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Vitamin B3 is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3. The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
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Sodium Hyaluronate
Sodium hyaluronate is the sodium form of hyaluronic acid (HA), a natural moisturizing factor (NMF). HA is a huge polymer found in the skin that acts as a sponge helping the skin to hold onto water, being plump and elastic. As far as skincare goes, sodium hyaluronate and hyaluronic acid are pretty much the same and the two names are used interchangeably.
Squalane
Squalane is a saturated hydrocarbon, meaning that it's a nice and stable oily liquid with a long shelf life. It occurs naturally in certain fish and plant oils (e.g. olive), and in the sebum (the oily stuff our skin produces) of the human skin. Squalane's main things are emolliency, surface occlusion, and TEWL prevention all with extreme cosmetic elegance. In other words, it's a superb moisturizer that makes your skin nice and smooth, without being heavy or greasy. Another advantage of squalane is that it is pretty much compatible with all skin types and skin conditions. It is excellent for acne-prone skin and safe to use even if you have fungi-related skin issues, like seborrhea or fungal acne.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is a moisturizer and has several anti-inflammatory (among others contains salicylates, polysaccharides, magnesium lactate and C-glucosyl chromone) as well as some antibacterial components. It also helps wound healing and skin regeneration in general.
Centella Asiatica
Centella Asiatica - or sometimes also called Gotu Kola or Cica - has been used in folk medicine for hundreds of years. Centella Asiatica also often shows up in products that try to treat cellulite or striae. Gotu Kola is a great plant ingredient with proven wound healing, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. One of the biological activities of the centellosides is to be able to stimulate GAGs (glycosaminoglycans - polysaccharides that are part of the liquidy stuff between our skin cells), and especially hyaluronic acid synthesis in our skin. Madecassoside can also help in burn wound healing through increasing antioxidant activity and enhancing collagen synthesis.
Other Common Ingredients
Sodium Chloride
Sodium chloride is the fancy name of salt. The reason for this is that salt acts as a fantastic thickener in cleansing formulas created with ionic cleansing agents (aka surfactants) such as Sodium Laureth Sulfate. A couple of percents (typically 1-3%) turns a runny surfactant solution into a nice gel texture. Other than that, salt also works as an emulsion stabilizer in water-in-oil emulsions, that is when water droplets are dispersed in the outer oil (or silicone) phase.
Glycol
A common glycol improves the freeze-thaw stability of products.
Emollients
An emollient and natural moisturizer that can be found also in the sebum (oily stuff our skin produces). A white, waxy emollient that gives "body" to skincare formulas.
Helper Ingredients
A common little helper ingredient that helps water and oil to mix together. A helper ingredient that helps to make the products stay nice longer, aka preservative.
Examples of Facial Wash Reviews
Many reviews of different cleansers are available, providing insights into their effectiveness, pH levels, and suitability for various skin types.
Neutrogena Deep Clean Facial Cleanser
A little goes a long way (it lathers really well). It never left my skin stripped or dry, but this was when I had zero actives in my routine. It comes in a 150ml pump bottle and is widely accessible. I think it’s fairly cost-effective. Smells like Celeteque, only better (has fragrance). It also has SLS.
Neutrogena Deep Clean Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub
My skin felt clean, clear, and refreshed. That is until I learned that it being called a daily scrub was just a marketing ploy for me to forget that it’s still causing some micro tears on my skin. Comes in a 100ml tube, contains fragrance, and is widely accessible.
Senka Perfect Whip Moist Cleansing Foam
This has a pH of 9!. No wonder it felt super tight and drying on my skin. Comes out of a 120g tube in a thick, paste-like consistency that foams like crazy. This contains fragrance and is not FA-safe.
Etude House Wonder Pore Deep Foaming Cleanser
This has beads, and it smells like mint. Feels refreshing but it left my skin stripped and tight (surprising because this has a pH of 6). It comes in a 150ml tube and its consistency is similar to the Senka’s. Not FA-safe.
Etude House Baking Powder Deep Cleansing Foam
I don’t remember much about this except that it was very, very drying. Apparently, it has a pH of 9.5.
Neogen Real Fresh Green Tea Cleansing Stick
This has a pH of 5.5, with bits of green tea leaves “embedded” in the actual stick. I honestly only used it as intended for a little a while (used it as a hand soap instead), because I couldn’t stand the fragrance. Still, this lasted quite a while for me.
Neogen Real Fresh Foam Green Tea
This has a pH of 7, didn’t leave my skin stripped or dry, but I couldn’t stand the fragrance (the fragrance is milder than the stick version though). It comes in a pretty 160ml bottle, with green tea leaves suspended in the actual solution.
Tosowoong Enzyme Powder Wash
This has a pH of 5.5. It smells like detergent, and weirdly left a stinging sensation on my face (I found out later that I was reacting badly to the badger oil). This has SLS and alcohol, and is not FA-safe.
CosRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser
Tea tree scent, foams well, is pretty affordable and accessible. Comes in a 150ml tube.
Human Nature Nourishing Face Wash
Super affordable (P200 for 200ml!), smells like tomatoes, doesn’t leave a residue, has low pH, doesn’t dry me out (despite being on tret), and widely accessible (can be found in some supermarkets). Only thing that bothers me is the fragrance.
Celeteque Hydration Facial Wash
Comes in 60ml, 100ml, and 250ml sizes. I wasn’t a huge fan of the scent (it’s supposedly non-fragranced, but this smells like scented plastic to me). It also felt stripping on me, despite some claiming that this is a low pH cleanser. This has SLS.
Himalaya Purifying Neem Facial Wash
This comes in 50ml and 100ml tubes. As the name suggests, neem is the main ingredient (not a fan of the scent). This is low pH, though I felt like it didn’t completely rinse off and left a film-like residue. This doesn’t foam, and doesn’t contain SLS.
Etude House Soon Jung pH 6.5 Whip Cleanser
Low pH. Foams really well, though the foam is denser and “dryer” than the Hada Labo’s (reviewed below). It says no fragrance, but I realised that it smells like plastic. It’s pretty affordable and also has a ton of soothing ingredients. Comes in a 160ml pump bottle (pump is harder to push in compared to the Hada Labo’s). Somehow this left my skin stripped and tight.
Heimish All Clean Green Foam
Has a pH of 5.5, smells like grass, a little bit goes a long way, contains Centella asiatica. Low pH. Comes in a 150ml tube and also has a 30ml tube (making it convenient for traveling). Badly wanted to like it, but it left a film/residue after washing.
Hada Labo Gokujyun Foaming Wash
Generates an insane amount of foam and the foam is soft and, for lack of a better term, comforting. Low pH. There is no fragrance in the ingredients list, but it smells kinda powdery to me (I like it!). It’s pretty affordable (it comes in a 160 pump bottle). It’s not stripping, and it feels super comfortable on my face.
General Advice
Low pH cleansers are your skin’s best friend. Read the ingredients list, and then read reviews. It helps to know which ingredients you are sensitive to, but it also helps to read about other people’s experiences with a product. Lastly, ingredients aren’t everything; formulations matter more. Some cleansers look good and clean on paper, but they can still not work for you or even cause you to breakout.
Micellar Technology
With micellar technology, effective in removing makeup and impurities from face/lip/eye are in one easy step.
Cica Extract
Cica extract helps to nourish the skin, providing skin hydration and reinforcing the skin's barrier function.
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