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| Ingredient name | what-it-does | irr., com. | ID-Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purified Water (Aqua) | solvent | ||
| Alcohol Denatured | antimicrobial/​antibacterial, solvent, viscosity controlling | icky | |
| Salicylic Acid | exfoliant, anti-acne, soothing, preservative | superstar |
ClarityRX Fix ItIngredients explained
Also-called: Aqua;Water |
What-it-does:
solvent
Good old water, aka H2O. The most common skincare ingredient of all. You can usually find it right in the very first spot of the ingredient list, meaning it’s the biggest thing out of all the stuff that makes up the product.
It’s mainly a solvent for ingredients that do not like to dissolve in oils but rather in water.
Once inside the skin, it hydrates, but not from the outside - putting pure water on the skin (hello long baths!) is drying.
One more thing: the water used in cosmetics is purified and deionized (it means that almost all of the mineral ions inside it is removed). Like this, the products can stay more stable over time.
Alcohol Denatured - icky
What-it-does:
antimicrobial/antibacterial, solvent, viscosity controlling, astringent
- It's a super common and super debated skincare ingredient
- It has several benefits: great solvent, penetration enhancer, creates cosmetically elegant, light formulas, great astringent and antimicrobial
- It can be very drying if it's in the first few ingredients on an ingredient list
- Some experts even think that regular exposure to alcohol damages skin barrier and causes inflammation though it's a debated opinion (read more in geeky details tab)
Salicylic Acid - superstar
Also-called: BHA |
What-it-does:
exfoliant, anti-acne, soothing, preservative
- It's one of the gold standard ingredients for treating problem skin
- It can exfoliate skin both on the surface and in the pores
- It's a potent anti-inflammatory agent
- It's more effective for treating blackheads than acne
- For acne combine it with antibacterial agents like benzoyl peroxide or azelaic acid
You may also want to take a look at...
| what‑it‑does | solvent |
Normal (well kind of - it's purified and deionized) water. Usually the main solvent in cosmetic products.
[more]
| what‑it‑does | antimicrobial/antibacterial | solvent | viscosity controlling |
Alcohol with some additives to make it unconsumable. It is great solvent, penetration enhancer, creates cosmetically elegant, light formulas, great astringent, and antimicrobial. In large amounts, it can be very drying to the skin.
[more]
| what‑it‑does | exfoliant | anti-acne | soothing | preservative |
One of the gold standard ingredients for treating problem skin. It can exfoliate skin both on the surface and in the pores and it's a potent anti-inflammatory agent.
[more]