Slapped “clean” on the jar like it’s a salad. Then I flipped it over and counted 40+ ingredients. Make it make sense.
The kicker? The first ingredient after the base is a fragrance compound. That’s not clean—that’s marketing with a thesaurus.
It’s a $38 balm that promises to dissolve makeup AND “detoxify” your pores. I bought it because the peach emoji on the box got me.
Superfruit Complex
Three fruit extracts in a base of heavy oils—so the antioxidants barely touch your skin before rinsing away.
Silicone Substitute
They use a synthetic ester that feels silky but is one molecule away from what “clean” brands swear they avoid.
pH-Balanced Claim
It’s pH 5.5, sure, but so is tap water. Means nothing when you’re adding fragrance on top.
Photo: Rosa Rafael / Unsplash
The hero “superfruits” are at the bottom of the list—basically a garnish. The real formula is 60% oils and emulsifiers with a sprinkle of antioxidant dust.
Here’s what’s doing the heavy lifting:
- Ethylhexyl Palmitate: Cheap emollient that mimics skin oils but can clog pores
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride: Coconut-derived, fine, but not special
- Citrus Aurantium Extract: Irritating to sensitive skin, not cleansing
- Parfum: The sneaky catch-all hiding 50+ undisclosed chemicals
Photo: Aleksandrs Karevs / Unsplash
First scoop: thick, buttery, melts like coconut oil in July. Feels expensive. Then the scent hits—like a perfume counter exploded in a fruit basket. Lingers for 20 minutes after rinsing.
Week 2: My usually-compliant combo skin threw a tantrum. Tiny bumps on my forehead that weren’t there before. The fragrance isn’t just unnecessary—it’s reactive.
Makeup melts off easily—I’ll give it that. But “clean” skin? My pores looked bigger by day 10, and the glow I got was just the oily residue.
It’s a fine makeup remover wearing a “clean” costume. But the ingredient list is the same old story with better packaging.