Daily Brightening Exfoliator
The Differin Daily Brightening Exfoliator is a exfoliating scrubs & peeling gel. Our analysis of its 24 ingredients (19 low-risk) rates it Excellent (90/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone and dry skin.
The Differin Daily Brightening Exfoliator is a exfoliating scrubs & peeling gel. Our analysis of its 24 ingredients (19 low-risk) rates it Excellent (90/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone and dry skin.
Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.
The evidence
| EWG | CIR | Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Water
(Solvent) |
|
|
|
|
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
(Antistatic Agent, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Sufactant, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
|
|
Distearyl Phthalic Acid Amide
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient) |
|
|
|
|
Cetyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Fragrance, Opacifying, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Masking, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
|
|
Stearyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Fragrance, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Foambooster, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Foam Boosting, Masking, Opacifying, Refatting, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
|
|
Niacinamide
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Smoothing) |
|
|
|
|
Jojoba Esters
(Emollient, Moisturising, Skin Conditioning, Soothing) |
|
|
|
|
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
(Cleansing, Foaming, Surfactant) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
|
|
|
Sodium Chloride
(Bulking Agent, Masking, Oral Care Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
|
|
Citric Acid
(Chelating Agent, Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent, Masking) |
Bad for Sensitive Skin
|
|
|
|
Kojic Acid
(Antioxidant) |
Good for Dry Skin
|
|
|
|
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
(Skin Conditioning) |
Good for Sensitive Skin
|
|
|
|
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
(Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Astringent, Emollient, Humectant, Masking, Oral Care Agent, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Tonic, Uv Absorber) |
Good for Oily Skin
|
|
|
|
Sodium Hydroxide
(Denaturant, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent) |
|
|
|
|
Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative) |
Paraben
|
|
|
|
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
(Sufactant, Emulsifying) |
|
|
|
|
Caprylyl Glycol
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Humectant) |
|
|
|
|
Ethylhexylglycerin
(Deodorant, Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
|
|
Hexylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Emulsifying, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant) |
|
|
|
|
Menthol
(Denaturant, External Analgesic, Flavoring Agent, Fragrance, Oral Health Caredrug, Masking, Refreshing, Soothing) |
Good for Oily Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Dry Skin
|
|
|
|
Sodium Bisulfite
(Antioxidant, Hair Waving Or Straightening, Reducing, Preservative) |
|
|
|
|
Disodium EDTA
(Chelating Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
|
|
Chromium Hydroxide Green
(Cosmetic Colorant, Hair Dyeing) |
|
|
|
|
Butylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Solvent, Viscositydecreasing Agent, Humectant, Masking, Viscosity Controlling) |
Good for Dry Skin
|
No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.
EWG flags hazard, not real-world risk — ratings don't account for how much of an ingredient a product contains. Treat these as things to research, not verdicts. How we score →
How to use
General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.
Trust & honesty
The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.
Most research uses 2–5%; some formulas go to 10%. Very high levels can cause flushing in sensitive skin.
Niacinamide
INCI lists don't disclose amounts, and we don't claim to know this product's levels — these are the ranges these ingredients are usually effective at, so you can tell a real formula from "fairy-dusting" a marketed active. How we estimate this.
From the community
Used this product? Rate it in 10 seconds
Alternatives
Other products people analyze alongside this one.