Brightening Facial Wash

These describe what an ingredient is, not whether it is a problem. The stance marks above are the ratings; these are not.

• common irritantCocamidopropyl Betaine, Dmdm Hydantoin

  • Cocamidopropyl Betaine: A mild cleansing agent, but a recurring patch-test finding, usually traced to leftovers from how it is made. American Contact Dermatitis Society, Allergen of the Year 2004 (Fowler JF Jr, Dermatitis 2004;15(1):3-4).
  • Dmdm Hydantoin: A preservative the FDA lists as a formaldehyde releaser, which is why formaldehyde-reactive skin can notice it. How much reaches the skin depends on the whole formula, not on this name alone. EU Regulation (EC) 1223/2009, Annex V entry 33, permits DMDM hydantoin as a preservative up to 0,6%. The FDA names it among the "formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasing ingredients" on its Allergens in Cosmetics page (content current 25 February 2022). SCCS Scientific Advice SCCS/1632/21, on the threshold for the "contains formaldehyde" warning, describes a study in which a moisturiser spiked to the 0,6% Annex V maximum released at least 40 ppm formaldehyde. Annex V preamble point 2, as amended by Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/1181, requires the warning "releases formaldehyde" on any product whose total released formaldehyde exceeds 0,001% (10 ppm). That Regulation states the sensitisation ground itself, so the chain is drawn by the regulator and not by us: recital (2) names the class, "Certain of those preservatives are gradually releasing formaldehyde in order to fulfil a preserving function in the final cosmetic product (so called formaldehyde releasers)", and recital (3) gives the purpose of the warning, "In order to inform consumers sensitised to formaldehyde about the presence of formaldehyde that may trigger an allergic reaction". Recital (1) records that formaldehyde is classified a skin sensitizer (Category 1) in Part 3 of Annex VI to Regulation (EC) 1272/2008.

• humectantGlycerin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

  • Glycerin: A humectant, and one of the two ingredients a comparison of moisturiser components found made a significant difference to skin hydration. FDA OTC skin protectant monograph, 21 CFR 347.10(h), lists glycerin as a skin protectant at 20 to 45%. On the humectant half: Jeong CB, Han JY, Cho JC, Suh KD, Nam GW, "Analysis of electrical property changes of skin by oil-in-water emulsion components", Int J Cosmet Sci 2013;35(4):402-410, DOI 10.1111/ics.12059, PMID 23621673, found that "glycerine and urea showed significant skin hydration effects compared with other humectants".
  • Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid: A humectant that holds a large amount of water at the skin surface. Chylińska N, Maciejczyk M, "Hyaluronic Acid and Skin: Its Role in Aging and Wound-Healing Processes", Gels 2025;11(4):281, DOI 10.3390/gels11040281, PMID 40277717, open access: hyaluronic acid's "high osmotic activity and anionic structure enable it to bind large amounts of water", and "sodium and potassium hyaluronate are widely used in moisturizing products". The same review notes that high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid does not penetrate the deeper layers.

• soothingNiacinamide

  • Niacinamide: A vitamin B3 form that supports the skin barrier and has anti-inflammatory activity; it turns up in products aimed at acne, rosacea and eczema. Camillo L, Zavattaro E, Savoia P, "Nicotinamide: A Multifaceted Molecule in Skin Health and Beyond", Medicina (Kaunas) 2025;61(2):254, DOI 10.3390/medicina61020254, PMID 40005371, open access: it "is extensively used in ... the treatment of dermatological conditions such as blistering diseases, atopic dermatitis, rosacea, and acne vulgaris", and contributes to reducing inflammation. On the acne evidence specifically: Liu H, Yu H, Xia J, Liu L, Liu GJ, Sang H, Peinemann F, "Topical azelaic acid, salicylic acid, nicotinamide, sulphur, zinc and fruit acid (alpha-hydroxy acid) for acne", Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020;5:CD011368, DOI 10.1002/14651858.CD011368.pub2, PMID 32356369, records "low-quality evidence" for every nicotinamide comparison it could pool, and none of its four nicotinamide studies measured the physician global assessment at all.