Glycolic Face Scrub E1 (Unscented)

Facetheory

Where to buy Possibly in stock

About this product

The Facetheory Glycolic Face Scrub E1 (Unscented) is a exfoliating scrubs & peeling gel. Our analysis of its 18 ingredients (12 low-risk) rates it Excellent (95/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone skin.

Vegan-friendly Reef-safe

Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.

At a glance

Type
Exfoliating Scrubs & Peeling Gel
Ingredients
18
Low-risk
12
Fragrance
Fragrance-free
Origin
United Kingdom

The evidence

Quick Product Notes

Paraben-Free Sulfate-Free Alcohol-Free Silicone-Free EU Allergen-Free Fungal Acne (Malassezia) Safe

Notable Effects & Ingredients

No Notable Effects & Ingredients

Ingredients Related to Skin Types

Good   Bad — tap a skin type to see which ingredients · estimated from ingredient functions
Dry Skin 6/9
Good for dry skin
Glyceryl Stearate Glyceryl Caprylate Cetyl Alcohol Glycerin Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil
Caution for dry skin
Glyceryl Caprylate Cetyl Alcohol Sodium Salicylate Stearic Acid Xanthan Gum Glycerin Salicylic Acid Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin 1/0
Good for oily/acne-prone skin
Salicylic Acid
Sensitive Skin 1/4
Good for sensitive skin
Glycerin
Caution for sensitive skin
Cetyl Alcohol Stearic Acid Glycerin Salicylic Acid

Ingredients list

18 total
Lower hazard (1) Higher hazard (4)
All18 Skin Conditioning10 Emulsion Stabilising7 Emulsifying6 Fragrance5 Emollient5 Surfactant4 Denaturant3 Hair Conditioning3
EWG CIR Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions Notes
1
Water
(Solvent)
3
B
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
(Antistatic Agent, Cleansing, Emulsifying, Foaming, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Cetyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Fragrance, Opacifying, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Masking, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Stearic Acid
(Fragrance, Sufactant, Emulsifying, Surfactantsurfactant Cleansing Agent Is Included As A Function For The Soap Form Of Stearic Acid., Emulsion Stabilising, Masking, Refatting)
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
4
B
Glycolic Acid
(Exfoliant, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent)
Good for Oily Skin
Good for Oily Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
2
A
Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
(Skin Conditioning)
prunus armeniaca kernel oil
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Glyceryl Stearate
(Emollient, Emulsifying)
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
A
Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil
(Abrasive, Emollient, Skin Conditioning)
1
Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Emulsifying, Surfactant)
1
A
Xanthan Gum
(Binding Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant Emulsifying Agent, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Binding, Gel Forming, Viscosity Controlling)
3
B
Sodium Glycolate
(Buffering Agent)
4
B
Salicylic Acid
(Antiacne Agent, Antidandruff Agent, Corn/Callus/Wart Remover, Denaturant, Exfoliant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Keratolytic, Masking, Preservative)
Good for Oily Skin
Good for Oily Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
1
A
Glyceryl Caprylate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Emulsifying, Surfactant)
1
B
Sodium Salicylate
(Denaturant, Preservative)
Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate
(Emulsion Stabilising, Slip Modifier, Surface Modifier)
CI 77289
(Colorant)

My Ingredient Notes

No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.

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Key ingredients

Exfoliators
Removes dead skin cells to smoothe texture.
AHA
Exfoliates skin for a brighter complexion.
BHA
Unclogs pores and reduces excess oil.

Benefits

HydratingBoosts hydration and relieves dry, tight skin.
Reduces Large PoresMinimizes the look of enlarged pores.
Acne FightingFights acne and helps prevent breakouts.
BrighteningRestores radiance to dull, tired skin.
Good For Oily SkinBalances oil and helps reduce shine.
Scar HealingImproves the look of marks and scars.
Skin TextureSmooths rough patches and refines texture.
Anti-AgingSoftens lines and helps skin look youthful.

Concerns

Not fungal acne (malassezia) safe
May not suit dry skin
May not suit sensitive skin

Ingredients explained

Water
Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Solvent
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Antistatic agent, Cleansing
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR B Antistatic agentCleansingEmulsifyingFoamingHair conditioningSkin conditioningSurfactantViscosity controlling
Cetyl Alcohol
Emulsion stabilising, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Emulsion stabilisingFragranceOpacifyingEmulsifyingSurfactantFoam boostingViscosity increasing agentEmollientMaskingViscosity controlling
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Skin conditioning
prunus armeniaca kernel oil
Fragrance, Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A FragranceSkin conditioning
Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil
Abrasive, Emollient
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A AbrasiveEmollientSkin conditioning
Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate
Skin conditioning, Emollient
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Skin conditioningEmollientEmulsifyingSurfactant
Xanthan Gum
Binding agent, Emulsion stabilising
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Binding agentEmulsion stabilisingSkin conditioningSurfactant -emulsifying agentViscosity increasing agentBindingGel formingViscosity controlling
Sodium Glycolate
Buffering agent
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR B Buffering agent
Glyceryl Caprylate
Skin conditioning, Emollient
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Skin conditioningEmollientEmulsifyingSurfactant
Sodium Salicylate
Denaturant, Preservative
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B DenaturantPreservative
Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion stabilising, Slip modifier
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Emulsion stabilisingSlip modifierSurface modifier
CI 77289
Colorant
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Colorant
Stearic Acid
Fragrance, Sufactant
Potentially comedogenic - can block poresRead moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceSufactantEmulsifyingSurfactantsurfactant-cleansing agent is included as a function for the soap form of stearic acid.Emulsion stabilisingMaskingRefatting Bad for Oily SkinFungal-acne trigger
Glycolic Acid
Exfoliant, Ph adjuster
Skin irritation can occur at high concentrationRead moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR B ExfoliantPh adjusterBuffering agent Good for Oily SkinBad for Sensitive Skin
Glycerin
Denaturant, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A DenaturantFragranceHair conditioningHumectantOral care agentOral health care drugSkin protectingViscosity decreasing agentPerfumingSolvent Good for Dry SkinFungal-acne trigger
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient, Emulsifying
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A EmollientEmulsifying Fungal-acne trigger
Salicylic Acid
Antiacne agent, Antidandruff agent
Skin irritation can occur at high concentrationRead moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR B Antiacne agentAntidandruff agentCorn/callus/wart removerDenaturantExfoliantFragranceHair conditioningSkin conditioningKeratolyticMaskingPreservative Good for Oily SkinBad for Sensitive Skin

How to use

How to use

  • 1 Evening, start slow: Best in the PM a few times a week to begin with; avoid layering with other strong actives the same night.
  • 2 Wear SPF the next day: Acids and retinoids increase sun sensitivity — daily sunscreen is a must while using this.

General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.

Trust & honesty

Pregnancy & breastfeeding

Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.

Use with caution
BHA (salicylic) (Salicylic Acid)

Low-strength topical salicylic acid (BHA) is generally considered fine. Caution is usually reserved for high-strength leave-on products and salicylic peels.

This is general information, not medical advice. Pregnancy guidance varies and depends on concentration and your individual situation — always check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist. How we flag this.

Effective levels — general guide

The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.

BHA (salicylic) 0.5–2%

Salicylic acid is OTC-capped at 2%; 0.5–2% is the usual leave-on range. Much below that it acts more as a soothing agent than an exfoliant.

Salicylic Acid

AHA (acid exfoliant) 5–10% (OTC)

OTC leave-on AHAs are usually 5–10%. The effect also depends on pH and free-acid value, not the percentage alone.

Glycolic Acid

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.

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