Mary Kay Clear Proof Deep-Cleansing Charcoal Mask Versus PCA Skin Detoxifying Mask

Mary Kay Clear Proof Deep-Cleansing Charcoal Mask Versus PCA Skin Detoxifying Mask

This wash off mask is formulated around Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and unclog pores.

This wash off mask is made with Kaolin and Charcoal Powder for a rinse-off oil-control boost.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

CI 77004

Glycerin

Propylene Glycol

Magnesium Aluminum Silicate

CI 77499

Charcoal Powder

Lonicera Japonica Leaf Extract

Vegetable Amino Acids

Bambusa Vulgaris Shoot Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Bisabolol

Mentha Piperita Extract

Mentha Viridis Leaf Extract

Butylene Glycol

Salicylic Acid

Triethanolamine

Triethyl Citrate

Disodium EDTA

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Benzoate

Citric Acid

Potassium Benzoate

Sodium Polyacrylate

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Polysorbate 80

Cellulose Gum

Phenoxyethanol

Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

Potassium Sorbate

Water, CI 77004, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, CI 77499, Charcoal Powder, Lonicera Japonica Leaf Extract, Vegetable Amino Acids, Bambusa Vulgaris Shoot Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Bisabolol, Mentha Piperita Extract, Mentha Viridis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Triethanolamine, Triethyl Citrate, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Potassium Benzoate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Polysorbate 80, Cellulose Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Potassium Sorbate

Kaolin

Caprylyl Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hexylene Glycol

Water, Kaolin, Charcoal Powder, Glycerin, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Charcoal powder comes from grounded charcoal. Charcoal can originate from peat, bamboo, coal, wood, coconut shell, or petroleum.

This ingredient has absorbent properties, making it great at absorbing oil.

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.

Topically, glycerin does several things at once:

Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.

Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.

This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.

Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Magnesium Aluminum Silicate is a type of silica. It comes from naturally occuring minerals such as silicate ores and clay.

Magnesium aluminum silicate is used for enhancing texture and as an absorbent. Due to its large molecular size, it is unable to be absorbed into the skin.

Like other types of silica, this ingredient can be used to thicken a product. As an absorbent, it may be used to absorb extra water or help prevent clumping.

Although “aluminum” in an ingredient name can raise red flags for some consumers, the form and usage context matter significantly. For typical topical applications, there is no substantial evidence of health risks - such as cancer, neurotoxicity, or systemic “aluminum overload.”

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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