That viral pink serum from Glow Recipe is everywhere. But its ‘clean’ label feels more like marketing than a promise.
The real issue? “Clean” isn’t regulated. Brands can slap it on anything — even formulas with synthetic fragrance and drying alcohol.
A $39 overnight exfoliating serum. Claims to be a clean, gentle AHA treatment. The packaging is cute — I’ll give them that.
Watermelon Extract
Provides hydration, but it’s way down the ingredient list.
AHA Blend
Lactic and glycolic acids to exfoliate — the actual workhorses.
Hyaluronic Acid
Pulls moisture in, plumps skin temporarily.
Photo: Poko Skincare / Unsplash
The hero actives are solid. Lactic acid smooths, glycolic acid digs deeper. But then you hit the questionable stuff.
- Fragrance (Parfum): Potential irritant, hidden in ‘clean’ claims
- Alcohol Denat.: Can be drying and disruptive
- Phenoxyethanol: Common preservative, some avoid it
- Sodium Hydroxide: pH adjuster, not scary in this context
Photo: Lina Verovaya / Unsplash
Texture is a dream — jelly-like, absorbs in 20 seconds. Smells like a Jolly Rancher. Too much like one.
By week two, my texture was smoother. But my cheeks felt tight. That’s the alcohol and fragrance — not so “gentle” after all.
Photo: Ali Pazani / Unsplash
My forehead and nose loved it — visibly smoother. My sensitive cheeks? They rebelled. A classic case of a mixed bag.
Photo: Vedansh Agrawal / Unsplash
It works, but the “clean” branding is greenwashing. A good exfoliant wrapped in a problematic formula.