AM to the PM Gel Cleanser

Fourth Ray Beauty’s AM to the PM Gel Cleanser is one of those products whose aesthetics we love… but whose ingredients leave a lot to be desired!

This gel cleanser comes in clear bottle with a pump. It creates a light lather when it contacts water. It’s easy to spread across skin, and rinses cleanly without making it feel immediately dry or tight. It does a good job removing dirt, oil, and most kinds of makeup (though waterproof or longwearing makeup requires makeup remover to for complete removal because of the gentle cleansing agents used).

There are some emollient ingredients in the mix (such as sweet almond oil), as well as skin-soothing ingredients aloe and cucumber. But that’s where the positives end…

In addition to the good stuff, Fourth Ray Beauty’s also included a host of fragrant ingredients, among them lavender, bergamot, bitter orange, and ylang-ylang extracts. All of these have the potential to cause skin irritation, especially when used daily. Even though this product is supposed to be rinsed from skin, the potential for problems still exists (see More Info for details).

If you like gel cleansers, there are far better options available that still get the job done but skip the potentially-harmful fragrance.

Why Fragrance Is a Problem for Skin: Daily use of products that contain a high amount of fragrance, whether the fragrant ingredients are synthetic or natural, causes a chronic sensitizing reaction on skin.

This reaction in turn leads to all kinds of problems, including disrupting skin’s barrier, worsening dryness, increasing or triggering redness, depleting vital substances in skin’s surface, and generally preventing skin from looking healthy, smooth, and hydrated. Fragrance free is always the best way to go for all skin types.

A surprising fact: Even though you can’t always see or feel the negative effects of fragrant ingredients on skin, the damage will still be taking place, even if it’s not evident on the surface. Research has demonstrated that you don’t need to see or feel the effects of irritation for your skin to be suffering. Much like the effects from cumulative sun damage, the negative impact and the visible damage from fragrance may not become apparent for a long time.

References for this information:

Biochimica and Biophysica Acta, May 2012, pages 1410–1419

Aging, March 2012, pages 166–175

Chemical Immunology and Allergy, March 2012, pages 77–80

Experimental Dermatology, October 2009, pages 821–832

Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2008, pages 191–202
International Journal of Toxicology, Volume 27, 2008, Supplement, pages 1–43

Food and Chemical Toxicology, February 2008, pages 446–475

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2003, pages 789–798