Nu Skin ageLOC LumiSpa Activating Face Cleanser– Normal to Combination Skin Versus IMAGE skincare the MAX Facial Cleanser

Nu Skin ageLOC LumiSpa Activating Face Cleanser– Normal to Combination Skin Versus IMAGE skincare the MAX Facial Cleanser

This mild gel cleanser is made to cleanse while calming and soothing your skin.

This cream cleanser uses mild cleansing ingredients, but contains alcohol that may feel drying for some.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Coco-Betaine

Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate

Glycerin

Polyquaternium-39

Acrylates Copolymer

Sodium Chloride

Diisopropyl Sebacate

Silybum Marianum Seed Oil

Oryza Sativa Extract

Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract

Porphyra Umbilicalis Extract

Narcissus Tazetta Bulb Extract

Rhododendron Ferrugineum Extract

PEG-8

Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract

Alumina

Glycol

Glycol Distearate

Glycol Stearate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Synthetic Fluorphlogopite

Tin Oxide

Sodium Phytate

Phytic Acid

Sodium Hydroxide

Disodium Phosphate

Parfum

Phenoxyethanol

Chlorphenesin

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Linalool

CI 77891

Water, Coco-Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Glycerin, Polyquaternium-39, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Chloride, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Silybum Marianum Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa Extract, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Porphyra Umbilicalis Extract, Narcissus Tazetta Bulb Extract, Rhododendron Ferrugineum Extract, PEG-8, Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract, Alumina, Glycol, Glycol Distearate, Glycol Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Sodium Phytate, Phytic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium Phosphate, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Linalool, CI 77891

Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate

PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Citrus Grandis Peel Oil

Limonene

Polyquaternium-10

Cetyl Alcohol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hydrolyzed Ceratonia Siliqua Seed Extract

Saccharide Isomerate

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Butylene Glycol

Propylene Glycol

Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract

Leontopodium Alpinum Extract

Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract

Steareth-20

Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone

Sodium Lactate

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Citric Acid

Leucojum Aestivum Bulb Extract

Sodium Citrate

Chlorhexidine Digluconate

Carbomer

Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate

Glycine Soja Protein

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Superoxide Dismutase

Xanthan Gum

Benzyl Alcohol

Caprylyl Glycol

Polysorbate 20

Lecithin

Dipeptide-2

Sodium Dextran Sulfate

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Acetyl Octapeptide-3

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Water, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Glycol Distearate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Acrylates Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Limonene, Glycerin, Polyquaternium-10, Sodium Chloride, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Ceratonia Siliqua Seed Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Steareth-20, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Sodium Lactate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Leucojum Aestivum Bulb Extract, Sodium Citrate, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Potassium Sorbate, Carbomer, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Glycine Soja Protein, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Superoxide Dismutase, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Lecithin, Dipeptide-2, Sodium Dextran Sulfate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

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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.

Acrylates Copolymer is used as a film-forming agent and texture enhancer.

After applied, Acrylates Copolymer forms a thin film cover that helps skin feel more soft. It can help sunscreens become more water-resistant.

It is also used to make a product more thick.

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.

Glycol Distearate is an emulsifier and emollient that adds a "pearly" appearance to formulations.

That lustrous look you see in many shampoos is due to this ingredient: when cooled, it crystallizes into small platelets that reflect light to give products that rich, shimmering look.

This ingredient is considered safe at present practices of use and concentration and repeated insult patch test with 50% Glycol Distearate on 125 subjects found no evidence of skin irritation, hypersensitivity, or acute toxicity.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.1-10%.

Because it's an ester of stearic acid, it falls into the range that Malassezia likes to metabolize. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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.

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.

You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.

You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.

You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

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!

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