Gradual Tan - Sleep Mask Face Retinol
The James Read Gradual Tan - Sleep Mask Face Retinol is a misc. Our analysis of its 37 ingredients (24 low-risk) rates it Excellent (87/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone skin.
The James Read Gradual Tan - Sleep Mask Face Retinol is a misc. Our analysis of its 37 ingredients (24 low-risk) rates it Excellent (87/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone skin.
Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.
The evidence
Dry Skin
7/9
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin
2/0
Sensitive Skin
9/12
| EWG | CIR | Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
1
|
|
Water
(Solvent) |
|
1
4
|
|
Dihydroxyacetone
(Cosmetic Colorant, Skin Conditioning, Reducing, Tanning) |
|
|
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
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
|
1
|
|
Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract
(Masking, Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
3
|
A
|
Dimethicone
(Antifoaming Agent, Skin Protecting, Emollient, Skin Conditioning) |
Silicone
|
|
4
|
B
|
Polyacrylamide
(Binding Agent, Film Forming, Hair Fixing, Antistatic Agent, Binding) |
|
|
3
|
A
|
Cyclopentasiloxane
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Solvent) |
Silicone
|
|
1
|
B
|
C13-14 Isoparaffin
(Emollient, Solvent) |
|
|
1
|
|
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
(Anticaking Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Opacifying, Suspending Agent Nonsurfactant, Viscosity Increasing Agent) |
|
|
2
|
A
|
Cyclohexasiloxane
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Solvent) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Panthenol
(Antistatic Agent, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning) |
Good for Dry Skin
|
|
1
|
B
|
Isohexadecane
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Solvent) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Xanthan Gum
(Binding Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant Emulsifying Agent, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Binding, Gel Forming, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
4
|
A
|
Sodium Metabisulfite
(Antioxidant, Preservative, Reducing) |
|
|
2
|
A
|
Citric Acid
(Chelating Agent, Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent, Masking) |
Bad for Sensitive Skin
|
|
3
|
B
|
Laureth-7
(Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
|
|
3
|
B
|
Polysorbate 80
(Denaturant, Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
|
A
|
Poloxamer 235
(Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
|
|
3
|
|
Tocopheryl Acetate
(Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning) |
Bad for Oily Skin
|
|
|
B
|
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
(Skin Conditioning) |
Good for Sensitive Skin
|
|
1
|
A
|
Sorbitan Oleate
(Fragrance, Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
Bad for Oily Skin
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
9
|
A
|
Retinol
(Skin Conditioning) |
Bad for Sensitive Skin
|
|
3
|
B
|
Polysorbate 20
(Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
|
1
|
A
|
Sodium Ascorbate
(Antioxidant) |
|
|
2
|
|
Epigallocatechin Gallate
(Antioxidant) |
|
|
|
|
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
(Cleansing, Deodorant, Fragrance, Refreshing, Tonic) |
|
|
|
|
Rosa Centifolia Bud Extract
(Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Emollient) |
|
|
6
|
A
|
BHT
(Antioxidant, Fragrance, Masking) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Sodium Hyaluronate
(Skin Conditioning, Humectant) |
Good for Dry Skin
|
|
1
|
A
|
Disodium EDTA
(Chelating Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
5
7
|
|
BHA
(Antioxidant, Fragrance, Masking) |
Bad for Sensitive Skin
|
|
|
|
Combretum Farinosum Flower Nectar
(Masking) |
|
|
1
|
|
Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract
(Skin Conditioning, Tonic) |
|
|
4
|
|
Alcohol Denat.
(Antifoaming Agent, Antimicrobial, Astringent, Masking, Solvent, Viscosity Controlling) |
Bad for Dry Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
|
|
3
|
A
|
Sodium Benzoate
(Fragrance, Preservative, Anticorrosive, Masking) |
|
|
4
|
A
|
Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative) |
Paraben
|
|
3
|
A
|
Potassium Sorbate
(Fragrance, Preservative) |
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
Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.
Topical retinoids (retinol, retinaldehyde, retinyl esters) are widely advised against in pregnancy as a precaution. The strongest evidence is for ORAL retinoids; topical absorption is low, but most clinicians err on the side of caution.
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.
The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.
Most studied between 0.1% and 1%. Higher is not automatically better — irritation climbs with dose, so a well-formulated lower strength is often the sweet spot.
Retinol
L-ascorbic acid is usually used at 5–20% (around 10–15% is common). Above ~20% adds little and tends to irritate more; it also needs a low pH to work.
Sodium Ascorbate
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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