DISCLAIMER: At the time this blog post was written, Paula’s Choice was owned by TA Associates, a private equity firm. Unilever, which is not cruelty-free, announced on June 14, 2021, that it would be acquiring Paula’s Choice. Since I do not support cruelty-free companies owned by parent companies that are not cruelty-free, I will no longer purchase or review Paula’s Choice products.  I am not removing this review since I know many of my readers will still want to support Paula’s Choice.

Paula’s Choice has been one of my favorite skincare brands for about a year now. It is also one of the brands I trust most because it is well established (founded in 1995), and all products are formulated based on extensive research. If you’ve ever seen an ad for Paula’s Choice, you’ve probably heard the phrase “backed by science.” This is a company that doesn’t follow trends, but instead seeks to create the highest quality products for consumer needs.

While I trust all Paula’s Choice products to be safe and effective, I definitely don’t associate the word “natural” with the brand. A lot of natural skincare products contain irritating ingredients like essential oils. However, skincare can be natural without being irritating. Paula’s Choice proves that with the Earth Sourced collection which includes four products formulated with 95-98% natural ingredients.

For some reason, I overlooked the Earth Sourced collection for a long time. I was recently online looking for a new toner and ordered the Paula’s Choice Earth Sourced Purely Natural Refreshing Toner. It’s 98% natural with an impressive list of ingredients, so I couldn’t pass it up!

Paula’s Choice Earth Sourced Purely Natural Refreshing Toner product claims directly from PaulasChoice.com

Earth Sourced Purely Natural Refreshing Toner is a state-of-the-art formula whose natural ingredients were chosen for their skin-smoothing and -nourishing benefits—all without the risk of aggravating skin with the fragrant or sensitizing ingredients often found in “natural” skincare products. Antioxidants shield & renew the surface of skin. Liquid-gel formula soothes skin.

Disclosure: IntegriBeauty includes affiliate links within product review posts. I receive commissions for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Additionally, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. IntegriBeauty is independently owned and all products discussed within IntegriBeauty product review posts are thoroughly tested and given honest reviews.

Other product details

• Price: $24.00
• Net weight: 4 oz. | 118 ml
• Made in the USA
• Cruelty-free
• Vegan
• 98% natural ingredients
• Appropriate for all skin types
• Fragrance-free
• 100% recyclable packaging
• Shelf life: 12 months
• Where to buy: PaulasChoice.com and Amazon.com 
  • Available through Paula’s Choice in 20+ countries/regions (each has its own website; they can all be found here) 
  • Amazon.com ships internationally to over 100 countries, but not all items will ship to every country. Update your default shipping address to see items that will ship to your location.
• Overall rating: 9.8/10
  • Packaging/ease of application: 10/10
  • Hydration: 10/10
  • Team player: 10/10
  • Ingredients: 10/10
  • Price: 9/10

Please note that I am not a skincare professional. I am simply an individual that enjoys learning about and using skincare products. Speak to your dermatologist or esthetician if you have any concerns.

Packaging/ease of application

Paula’s Choice Earth Sourced Purely Natural Refreshing Toner comes in the same type of packaging as the other Paula’s Choice toners. It’s a cute lime green plastic bottle with a twist-off cap. Instead of the bottle having a wide opening, there is a piece of plastic over the opening with a small hole to dispense the product. This prevents too much from coming out at once.

I previously tried the Paula’s Choice Resist Weightless Advanced Repairing Toner. That one was a bit difficult for me to dispense without making a small mess because it had the consistency of water. The Earth Sourced Purely Natural Refreshing Toner, thankfully, has more of a lightweight gel consistency, so it doesn’t come out so quickly.

The thicker texture of this toner also makes it easier to apply to the face. I think most people prefer to apply toners with cotton pads or other types of applicators, but I use my hands to avoid wasting any of the product. This toner is very easy to spread between my palms and press into my skin. If you prefer to use a cotton pad or something else to apply toner, it would apply just fine that way as well.

Hydration

It’s difficult to describe the hydration factor of this toner. It doesn’t feel like most toners I’ve used in the past. As I mentioned previously, the Paula’s Choice Earth Sourced Purely Natural Refreshing Toner has a lightweight gel texture, rather than a typical liquid toner. That slightly heavier texture makes this toner feel especially hydrating.

When I apply this toner to my skin, it almost feels like aloe vera gel (it actually doesn’t contain any aloe, but I’ll dive into the ingredients later). By that, I mean that it feels like there’s a coating of moisture all over my face. There’s also a tackiness that I’m not used to feeling from my skincare products. Most of that tackiness does fade, however. Once I’ve had this toner on my skin for a minute or so, it absorbs and leaves my skin feeling hydrated and happy.

I feel like this toner provides the perfect hydrated base for the rest of my skincare and makeup. There are a lot of hydrating ingredients in this product, so it’s no surprise that it feels so wonderfully hydrating on the skin.

Team player

Toner is the first leave-on skincare product applied in a typical skincare routine, so it’s important for it to layer well under other products. The most basic skincare routine may consist of only face wash, toner, and moisturizer. In those cases, it’s not as likely that any products won’t “get along.” However, some of us have more extensive skincare regimens. As more products are added, it’s more likely that there will be problems with layering.

While this toner is heavier than most and feels tacky when first applied, it somehow performs beautifully under all other skincare products I’ve paired it with. After this toner, I usually apply a lightweight serum, a treatment cream, eye cream, moisturizer, sunscreen, and it depends on the day whether I’ll wear makeup or not. I’ve never had any problems with this Paula’s Choice toner when I apply those other products on top.

Ingredients

You might expect Paula’s Choice Earth Sourced Purely Natural Refreshing Toner to have a short list of ingredients since it’s a natural skincare product. I know I was quite surprised to find that it contains 37 ingredients! Don’t worry though, because most of those are really good for the skin. Here is a full list of all ingredients (please note that this list is from the product’s packaging, not the website; Paula’s Choice must’ve reformulated this toner at some point):

Water, Glycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Xanthan Gum, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Avena Sativa (Oat) Bran Extract, Camellia Oleifera (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Lycium Barbarum (Goji Berry) Fruit Extract, Peucedanum Graveolens (Dill) Extract, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Extract, Sambucus Nigra (Elderberry) Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil, Vaccinium Myrtillus (Bilberry) Seed Oil, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Tocopherol, PCA, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol

Do you ever read through an ingredients list and try to pronounce them all? I do that with ingredients I’ve never seen before. Some of these ingredient names (at least the scientific names) are quite interesting! Their functions are pretty interesting, too.

The ingredients in this toner are a combination of what I label “good” and “neutral.” Good ingredients have special skincare benefits, while neutral ingredients support the formula without doing anything extra for the skin. It’s common for there to be more “neutral” ingredients than “good,” but that’s not the case with this product. There are only five “neutral” ingredients which are safe solvents, thickeners, and preservatives. The remaining 32 ingredients are very good, providing many benefits to the skin! I’ll provide brief descriptions of those ingredients (please note that my primary resources for ingredient information are INCI Decoder and Paula’s Choice Ingredient Dictionary):

• Glycerin
  • Natural moisturizer
• Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil
  • Improves damaged or irritated skin barrier
  • Good for all skin types
• Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil
  • Moisturizes and nourishes skin
  • Contains antioxidants
• Avena Sativa (Oat) Bran Extract
  • Has antioxidant and soothing properties
• Camellia Oleifera & Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extracts
  • Antioxidants
  • Anti-inflammatories
• Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract
  • Antioxidant
  • Potent skin-soothing property
• Lycium Barbarum (Goji Berry) Fruit Extract
  • Antioxidant
  • Skin-softening
• Peucedanum Graveolens (Dill) Extract
  • Antioxidant
  • Improves skin’s resiliency
  • Calms sensitive skin
• Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Extract
  • Antioxidant
• Sambucus Nigra (Elderberry) Fruit Extract
  • Potent antioxidant
  • Skin-soothing
• Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract
  • Potent antioxidant
• Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil
  • Loaded with nourishing fatty acids
  • Contains vitamin E
  • Smooths, softens, and moisturizes
• Sodium Hyaluronate
  • Humectant
• Sodium PCA
  • Hydrates and replenishes skin
• Sodium Lactate
  • Skin moisturizer
  • pH regulator
• Hydrogenated Lecithin
  • Emollient
  • Humectant
• Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil
  • Potent antioxidant
  • Skin-restoring
• Vaccinium Myrtillus (Bilberry) Seed Oil
  • Antioxidant
  • Strengthens and calms skin
• Tocopherol (vitamin E)
  • Antioxidant
  • Strengthens skin barrier
• PCA
  • Derived from amino acids
  • Humectant
• Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, & Phenylalanine
  • These are all amino acids that hydrate the skin
  • Isoleucine also works to repair the skin barrier

Hats off to you if you made it through all those ingredients! I know that’s a lot, especially if you’re not a skincare enthusiast like me. 🙂 

The takeaway here is that Paula’s Choice Earth Sourced Purely Natural Refreshing Toner is packed full of antioxidants and hydrators. Those types of ingredients are essential for every skin type. Hydration is key for keeping skin looking youthful and healthy, while antioxidants protect the skin from environmental damage.

Honestly, the only way I could be more impressed by this toner’s ingredients list is if all the top five ingredients were in that “good” category. Fortunately, two of the top five ingredients are really good (glycerin and sunflower seed oil). I’m really just happy that the majority of the remaining ingredients consist of the goodies listed above!

Price

Paula’s Choice products aren’t high-end, but many are quite a bit more expensive than similar drugstore products. As I’ve reviewed more and more skincare products, though, I’m seeing more drugstore skincare creeping up in price. So it might be safest to say that Paula’s Choice prices are right in the middle between drugstore and high-end.

Paula’s Choice Earth Sourced Purely Natural Refreshing Toner is $24.00, or $6.00/ounce. That is definitely more than I’ve paid for most toners I’ve used. Fortunately, I think it’s well worth that price. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen so many antioxidants and hydrators in a single product. This is really a special toner in so many ways and worth the price tag if it’s within your budget…especially if you’ve been looking for a good natural toner!

Paula’s Choice Earth Sourced Purely Natural Refreshing Toner is one of those skincare products that I’m even more impressed by now that I’ve written a full review on it. It’s really difficult to find any fault with it! This toner is so easy to use, feels amazing on the skin, works nicely with all other skincare products, and of course the ingredients knocked my socks off!

Paula’s Choice claims this toner can be used by all skin types, and I agree completely. That’s unusual! Most skincare products are too lightweight or drying for dry skin, or too heavy/greasy for oily skin, but this one is just right for everyone. I think it would even be a good pick for people with sensitive skin since there are three ingredients with soothing properties and it has an overall non-irritating formula.

Have you tried Paula’s Choice Earth Sourced Purely Natural Refreshing Toner or any other products from the Earth Sourced collection? They all look interesting! Please leave me a comment below. 🙂

Lauren

Skin around the eyes is often one of the first places to show signs of aging. That skin is quite thin and delicate compared to the rest of the skin on the face, which means fine lines are likely to appear at a fairly young age. I started to notice fine lines around my eyes in my late twenties. Sometimes I wonder if I could’ve delayed them if I’d started a good skincare routine in my late teens or early twenties, but in reality I don’t think it would’ve made very much difference.

To keep my under-eyes looking as healthy as possible, I always have at least one good eye cream in my skincare routine. I’m currently using Versed Zero-G Smoothing Eye Cream as my nighttime eye cream. I was happy to try this eye cream since I enjoyed Versed The Fix Emergency Eye Mask so much.

I don’t expect any eye cream to perform miracles, like making my fine lines disappear. However, I do expect my eye creams to provide sufficient hydration to keep my under-eyes from looking crepey. With proper hydration, fine lines aren’t nearly as obvious! 

Versed Zero-G Smoothing Eye Cream is packed with hydrating ingredients, as well as a peptide blend for anti-aging. To learn more about this innovative eye cream, keep reading for a full product review which includes an in-depth look at the ingredients list.

Versed Zero-G Smoothing Eye Cream product claims directly from VersedSkin.com

Fight back against gravity with a little pot of peach perfection dedicated to the very area that starts to show those signs of aging first: your eyes. Made with line-smoothing algae extract, firming peptides, and deeply moisturizing olive oil, this eye cream applies like butter and works overtime to improve the appearance of crow’s feet. It leaves a soft-focus finish with an illuminating effect (hello, instant brightening), thanks to mica (ethically sourced, of course). 

Disclosure: IntegriBeauty includes affiliate links within product review posts. I receive commissions for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. IntegriBeauty is independently owned and all products discussed within IntegriBeauty product review posts are thoroughly tested and given honest reviews.

Other product details

• Price: $17.99
• Net weight: 0.5 oz. | 15 ml
• Made in the USA
• Cruelty-free (Leaping Bunny certified)
• Vegan
• Best suited for aging skin (but I think it would work for all ages)
• Free of parabens, silicones, sulfates, formaldehyde, petroleum, mineral oil, fragrance, and dyes
• Formulated based on the EU’s safe ingredient standards
• Recyclable packaging
• Shelf life: 12 months
• Where to buy: VersedSkin.com
  • VersedSkin.com ships to the US, Puerto Rico, Canada, the UK, Australia, and partially to the EU (unfortunately there is no further explanation given for shipping to the EU).
• Overall rating: 8.4/10
  • Packaging/ease of application: 7/10
  • Hydration: 10/10
  • Team player: 10/10
  • Ingredients: 7/10
  • Price: 8/10

Please note that I am not a skincare professional. I am simply an individual that enjoys learning about and using skincare products. Speak to your dermatologist or esthetician if you have any concerns.

Packaging/ease of application

Versed Zero-G Smoothing Eye Cream is packaged in a small opaque plastic jar. If you’ve read many of my skincare reviews, you probably already know what I’m going to say next! While this type of packaging feels convenient, it puts the integrity of certain ingredients at risk. That’s because every time the lid is removed, the product is exposed to air and light. Many active ingredients in skincare products will degrade more quickly after being exposed to air and/or light. Thankfully, the jar does protect the product from light while the jar is closed.

The other Versed eye creams are packaged in squeeze tubes which is more effective packaging for protecting ingredients. I’m guessing this one was packaged in a jar instead because the texture is a little too thick for a squeeze tube. I think a small pump would be the ideal packaging for this eye cream, but that would likely result in more waste.

Speaking of packaging waste, there is a bright side to this product’s packaging. According to Versed, this product’s waste is only 0.58 oz., while similar products’ waste is 1.12 oz. I appreciate that Versed values sustainability and makes an effort to reduce waste when possible.

The eye cream itself is easy to apply. It has a bouncy jelly-like texture that has a medium thickness. It’s much more lightweight than the Versed The Fix Emergency Eye Mask that I mentioned in the intro, but it’s heavier than eye creams that I usually use in my morning routine, like the e.l.f. 50 mg CBD Eye Cream. Once this eye cream is applied to the eye area, it takes on a thinner gel consistency that melts into the skin quickly.

Hydration

Versed Zero-G Smoothing Eye Cream feels very hydrating around the eyes. It is not as thick as the Versed The Fix Emergency Eye Mask, but I think that is to be expected since this product is an eye cream instead of an eye mask. I definitely feel like this eye cream is more hydrating than a lot of the lightweight eye creams or eye gels in squeeze tubes.

This eye cream may not be quite hydrating enough for those with very dry skin. It is neither the most or the least hydrating of the eye creams that I’ve tried through the years. This product is meant to be used “PM and/or AM” according to Versed, so it makes sense that it wouldn’t be too light or too heavily moisturizing. For night time, I think I liked the Versed The Fix Emergency Eye Mask a little bit better. With that being said, if you have normal to oily skin and don’t want separate AM and PM eye creams, I think Versed Zero-G Smoothing Eye Cream is a great choice.

Team player

The primary thing I look for in new skincare products is a good list of ingredients. Once I start using a new product, the next priority for me is that it should work together with my other skincare without pilling or flaking. When products pill or flake, I feel like most of what I’ve applied is coming off and therefore my skin is not getting the benefits that it should. 

This eye cream absorbs into the skin quickly without any pilling or flaking when applied over other skincare products. I also have no problem applying moisturizer over it (I like to apply moisturizer around my eyes as well for even more hydration).

The instructions for Versed Zero-G Smoothing Eye Cream state that it should be applied after cleanser and serum but before moisturizer. I think it was wise for Versed to specify that since this eye cream contains mica, which leaves a soft sheen on the skin. That sheen looks much more natural once moisturizer has also been applied. I’ve noticed that the illuminating effect from the mica is slightly visible through my tinted sunscreen, but I don’t see it when I apply foundation and/or concealer around my eyes. If the illumination factor is important to you, you may want to skip coverage products when using this eye cream.

Since this eye cream absorbs quickly and doesn’t have a heavy texture, it works really well with makeup (besides the note above) just like it does with skincare. Makeup applies smoothly over this product and again, does not pill or flake!

Ingredients

I have to admit that while I usually check ingredients before selecting new skincare products, I pretty much ignored them in this case! I was sucked in by the product name and description because I’m always excited about skincare that may help with the fine lines around my eyes. I was surprised to find that Versed Zero-G Smoothing Eye Cream contains 36 ingredients, including several I’d never heard of. Here’s the full list of ingredients:

Water, C13-15 alkane, Glycerin, PEG-100 stearate, Behenyl alcohol, Butylene glycol, Cetyl ricinoleate, Olive oil, Nannochloropsis oculata extract, Pullulan, Sodium benzoate, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, Tribehenin, Cetyl alcohol, Sodium carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hesperidin methyl chalcone, Steareth-20, Diepeptide-2, Palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, Lycium barbarum (goji berry) fruit extract, Arnica montana flower extract, Sodium hyaluronate, Mica, Caprylyl glycol, Hydrogenated lecithin, Chlorhexidine digluconate, Sodium citrate, Potassium sorbate, Citric acid, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Hexylene glycol, Titanium dioxide (CI 77891), Iron oxides (CI 77491)

I was a bit disappointed to find that 23 of these ingredients are what I consider to be “neutral.” There are several emollients, thickeners, and preservatives in this product. Those ingredients aren’t harmful, but they’re worth considering. There are also 12 “good” ingredients, and lastly, one that is questionable. I’ll provide descriptions of all the skin-loving ingredients in this product since they are the most important parts of the formula (please note that my primary resources for ingredient information are INCI Decoder and Paula’s Choice Ingredient Dictionary):

• Glycerin
  • Natural moisturizer
• Olive oil
  • Moisturizes and nourishes skin
  • Contains antioxidant polyphenols
• Nannochloropsis oculata extract
  • Algae extract
  • Moisturizer and humectant
• Pullulan
  • Antioxidant
  • Humectant
  • Has a skin-tightening effect
• Butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter
  • Emollient moisturizer
  • Skin-soothing
  • Antioxidant-rich
• Hesperidin methyl chalcone
  • Antioxidant
  • Anti-inflammatory
• Diepeptide-2
  • Increases lymphatic circulation to treat puffy under-eyes
  • Skin conditioner
• Palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7
  • Reduces inflammation, which slows degradation of collagen
• Lycium barbarum (goji berry) fruit extract
  • Antioxidant
  • Skin-softening agent
• Sodium hyaluronate
  • Sodium form of hyaluronic acid
  • Humectant
• Hydrogenated lecithin
  • Emollient
  • Humectant
• Tocopherol (vitamin E)
  • Antioxidant
  • Strengthens skin barrier

Of these 12 ingredients, I am most impressed by pullulan and the two peptides, since they actively work to reduce signs of aging around the eyes. The hydrating ingredients also play a big role, but those are more common.

When looking at the list of ingredients as a whole, one thing that really catches my attention is that there is only one “good” ingredient in the top five (ingredients with highest concentrations are listed first). Looking a little further down the list, there are four “good” ingredients in the top ten. That isn’t bad, but I’d like to see more skin-loving ingredients closer to the top since this is an anti-aging product.

The one questionable ingredient I mentioned earlier is the arnica montana flower extract. That ingredient is used as an anti-inflammatory, but it can cause skin irritation. I’ve seen this ingredient in a few products now, so it might not be a very common irritant. Still, I think those with very sensitive skin should avoid this product.

This product definitely doesn’t have one of the most impressive ingredient lists I’ve ever seen, but it’s also not a bad one. It contains several good ingredients, many of which are perfect to address the product’s claims. Hopefully the concentrations of all the “good” ingredients are high enough to be effective. 🙂

Price

All three Versed eye products, including this one, are priced at $17.99. A jar of Versed Zero-G Smoothing Eye Cream contains 0.5 oz. of product which means it is $35.98/oz. That may seem high for a drugstore eye cream, but eye creams in general are notorious for being quite expensive on a “per ounce” basis.

Looking through a wide variety of drugstore eye creams, I found that this one is priced higher than many others, but definitely not the highest. Most drugstore eye creams also don’t contain anti-aging ingredients, instead focusing on hydration alone. I like that Versed included a wide variety of good skincare ingredients instead of just hydrators.

The last thing to mention in regards to price is the fact that a little goes a long way with this eye cream. Honestly, that’s true of many eye creams, but it’s still an important factor! I’m not sure when I started using this product, but it feels like it’s been a while and it barely looks like I’ve used any of it.

The claims for Versed Zero-G Smoothing Eye Cream are that it moisturizes, smooths lines, and illuminates the eye area. I can confirm that it definitely moisturizes without feeling too heavy. It also effectively illuminates the eye area (as long as makeup isn’t applied over it). I’m not sure if everyone will like that illuminating effect, but I believe the intention is that the reflective property makes dark circles less noticeable. 

I’m not able to confirm or deny the line-smoothing claim since anti-aging ingredients take a long time to work. I think there is definitely potential, but the product would need to be used consistently, probably for several months, to see visible improvement.

While I haven’t noticed a visible difference in my under-eyes while using this eye cream, I have been enjoying it. It feels very nice on my skin and I appreciate all the great ingredients it contains. I may repurchase it at some point, but I’m unsure since there is a lot of good skincare out there and I love trying new things to review!

I think Versed Zero-G Smoothing Eye Cream would work very well for a lot of people. The only people that would probably need to avoid it are those with very very sensitive skin (due to the arnica montana flower extract) or dry skin. I may be wrong on the dry skin front since I have combination skin, but I have a feeling this may not be quite hydrating enough for dry skin.

I’ve liked almost every product I’ve tried from Versed so far and I look forward to trying more in the future! Have you tried anything from this young skincare brand yet? If so, which ones are your favorites? Please let me know in the comments!

Lauren

I am very excited to be writing a new Good Molecules product review today! Good Molecules makes some of the best affordable skincare with innovative formulas. I previously reviewed the Niacinamide Brightening Toner and Vitamin C Booster Powder from Good Molecules. I recently added a new product into my skincare routine: the Good Molecules Pineapple Exfoliating Powder. This product intrigued me from the first time I heard of it because I’ve used both scrubs and chemical exfoliants (in liquid/gel form) to exfoliate the skin on my face, but I’d never used an exfoliating powder. This powder combines both physical and chemical exfoliation.

The chemical exfoliants I’ve used before are AHAs and BHAs, but this product uses a different type of ingredient for chemical exfoliation: fruit enzymes! People with sensitive skin or skin that is not accustomed to exfoliation may not be able to tolerate AHA or BHA products. Those types of exfoliants have the potential to irritate skin after dead skin cells are cleared away. Fruit enzymes generally break down dead skin cells without affecting the fresh healthy skin underneath, therefore avoiding irritation. 🙂

This is a really interesting product, so I encourage you to continue reading for my full product review!

Good Molecules Pineapple Exfoliating Powder product claims directly from GetGoodMolecules.com

Encourage gentle physical and chemical exfoliation with this cleansing powder containing bromelain, a mixture of enzymes naturally found in pineapples. This helps remove keratin proteins from the skin’s surface to reveal brighter, fresher skin. 

Other product details

• Price: $16.00
• Net weight: 2.1 oz. | 60 g
• Made in Korea
• Cruelty-free
• Fragrance-free
• Does not contain silicones, mineral oil, alcohol, or PEGs
• Shelf-life: 18 months
• Where to buy: GetGoodMolecules.com or Beautylish.com 
  • GetGoodMolecules.com ships internationally.
  • Beautylish.com ships to 56 countries (see the list here)
• Overall rating: 8.8/10
  • Packaging: 9/10
  • Ease of use: 8/10
  • Exfoliation: 10/10
  • Ingredients: 7/10
  • Price: 10/10

Please note that I am not a skincare professional. I am simply an individual that enjoys learning about and using skincare products. Speak to your dermatologist or esthetician if you have any concerns.

Packaging

Good Molecules made great choices when designing the packaging for the Pineapple Exfoliating Powder. First, and most noticeably, this product is packaged in an amber glass bottle. I like glass packaging because the weight of it makes it feel more luxurious. Beyond that, the color is important to note. The amber color of the glass provides UV protection which is very helpful in preserving the integrity of the active ingredients.

Since this is a powder product, it is dispensed through a hole that’s a little over a quarter of an inch (8 mm) wide. I like this simple yet effective design; it’s easy to pour out the desired amount of product and if a little too much comes out, you can put some back without much difficulty. The one potentially problematic thing about this opening is that it allows air to reach the product every time the cap is removed. Air, just like light, can cause ingredients to degrade more quickly. However, since this is a powder instead of a liquid, I’m not sure that’s actually a concern.

Ease of use

If you’ve never used a product like this Pineapple Exfoliating Powder, you might be confused about how to use it correctly. The directions on the bottle state:

“Dispense a teaspoon of powder into palms. Mix with a few drops of water to form a creamy foam. Use more water for gentler exfoliation. Massage into skin with circular motions. Rinse thoroughly.”

I think an additional step should be added. I find that wetting my face before using this exfoliating powder makes it easier to massage into my skin. After adding water to the powder and rubbing my palms together, it can dry out quickly. Having water already on my face helps it to remain easily spreadable over the skin.

This is my order of operations when using this product:

1. Spray a small amount of water (using a spray bottle) on my face to dampen skin.
2. Pour Pineapple Exfoliating Powder into my palm.
3. Turn on the faucet, wet fingers, and let some water drip onto the powder.
4. Rub palms together until all the powder has combined with the water to produce creamy foam.
5. Massage foam into the skin, focusing on any rough patches.
6. Rinse!

Good Molecules recommends using a teaspoon of this product, but I find that to be excessive. I’m not sure if that’s just my personal preference or if it’s because my face is a little smaller than average. I’d recommend using maybe a half teaspoon the first time using this product to determine how much you really need. The same applies to the amount of water needed; start with a good amount of water mixed in (for the gentlest exfoliation), and reduce the water going forward until you reach your ideal level of exfoliation.

Exfoliation

As I mentioned in the previous section, Good Molecules Pineapple Exfoliating Powder is a very customizable exfoliating product. Those with sensitive skin may want the lightest possible exfoliation and this product is perfect for that! More water can be added to it until it’s properly “diluted.” For those that need a little more intense exfoliation, this powder can be mixed with a very small amount of water to soften rough patches and clear away dead skin.

While this product can feel more intense than you might expect, it’s definitely not as exfoliating as a face scrub. Some people may not like that, but I appreciate its gentleness. The flexibility of this exfoliating powder makes it a great choice for nearly every skin type.

I like using this exfoliating powder a lot of mornings because I feel that it gives my skin the perfect fresh start before applying my morning skincare products. I think I mix about five drops of water in with it so I don’t get the lightest exfoliation, but not the strongest either. I don’t want to over-exfoliate since I also use Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant most nights.

Ingredients

There are so many things I like about Good Molecules, but one in particular is that they recently became transparent about the concentrations of all ingredients in their products (I’ve not heard of any other companies doing this). Unfortunately, I purchased the Good Molecules Pineapple Exfoliating Powder before the packaging was changed so I don’t have that detailed breakdown. I just wanted to share that information for those of you that are considering purchasing this product!

Good Molecules Pineapple Exfoliating Powder contains 17 ingredients, including several that are new to me (like pineapple extract!). It was very interesting researching these ingredients to find out what makes this product work. Here is the full list of ingredients for this exfoliating powder:

Dimethylimidazolidinone Rice Starch, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Lees Extract, Sodium Lauroyl Aspartate, Diglycerin, Silk Powder, Calamine, Ananas Sativus (Pineapple) Fruit Extract, Papain, Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Allantoin, Maltodextrin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Water, Butylene Glycol

I had to keep an open mind when researching these ingredients since this is a unique product. This is the only product I’ve ever used that both physically and chemically exfoliates the skin. Some of the ingredients are rather controversial, but I know Good Molecules strives to make products that are safe for its customers.

A good number of the ingredients are what I’d call “neutral” because they create the right texture, foaming ability, etc., without directly helping or hurting the skin. There are several “good” ingredients too, as well as a few ingredients that I am unsure of. I’ll start by describing all the ingredients that help to exfoliate or contribute to healthy skin in other ways (please note that my primary resources for ingredient information are INCI Decoder and Paula’s Choice Ingredient Dictionary):

• Dimethylimidazolidinone Rice Starch
  • Physical exfoliant
• Oryza Sativa (Rice) Lees Extract
  • Skin conditioner
  • Contains ferulic acid, a potent antioxidant
• Diglycerin
  • Moisturizer that minimizes water evaporation from the upper layer of skin to keep it well-hydrated
• Silk Powder
  • Physical exfoliant
• Ananas Sativus (Pineapple) Fruit Extract
  • Contains bromelain, a group of enzymes that gently exfoliate skin
  • Also contains fruit sugars and amino acids to soothe and moisturize skin
• Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Extract
  • Great source of antioxidants including vitamin C and polyphenols
• Allantoin
  • Skin soothing and conditioning agent
• 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
  • Very stable form of vitamin C
  • Antioxidant

These ingredients come together to promote healthy, bright, soft skin. I was especially impressed by the pineapple extract, which seems to be quite the superstar skincare ingredient!

Some may be surprised that I didn’t include calamine, papain, or arnica montana flower extract in that list of “good” ingredients. These are the controversial ingredients that I previously mentioned. 

Calamine is used to treat itchy skin, but ironically it can also cause skin irritation! Papain is a fruit enzyme extracted from papayas, but unlike pineapple extract, it is a potential skin irritant. Lastly, arnica montana flower extract…some sources state that it has anti-inflammatory properties, but it can cause skin irritation. I fortunately have not experienced any irritation from this product, but I do have these ingredients marked as “bad” on my list since they are likely to cause irritation on very sensitive skin.

I’m really surprised that Good Molecules included three ingredients that are known irritants for some people. Other than those few, I’m very pleased with the ingredients in this product. They are definitely effective! I’m also happy that there is no fragrance (which would be another potential irritant) because I know other brands would be tempted to add pineapple fragrance (if you’re wondering, no it does not smell like pineapple at all).

Price

Good Molecules Pineapple Exfoliating Powder is $16.00 ($7.62/oz.), which I believe is an amazing price! There are very few products similar to this one, and the amount of product in the bottle is very generous. Since most people won’t use this exfoliating powder every day (Good Molecules advises up to four times per week), the 2.1 ounces of product will last a very long time. 

Some people compare Good Molecules Pineapple Exfoliating Powder to Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant Exfoliator (please note that Dermalogica is owned by Unilever, which is not cruelty-free), a much more expensive product at $59.00 ($22.69/oz.). I’ve never tried that product, but even if it’s not an exact dupe, the Good Molecules product is definitely a steal by comparison!

I still use micellar water for my morning cleansing on days that I’m short on time or feeling lazy, but I’ve really enjoyed using the Good Molecules Pineapple Exfoliating Powder most other mornings. It makes my skin feel very smooth, fresh, and ready to absorb my leave-on skincare products. It is a shame that it doesn’t smell like pineapple, but I’m happy to sacrifice fragrance since I know that would be irritating for a lot of people.

I think Good Molecules Pineapple Exfoliating Powder would be a great addition to almost every skincare routine. The only people that I think should avoid this product would be those that have very sensitive skin. While there are a few possible irritants, I don’t think they’ll cause problems for most people since this is not a leave-on product.

Good Molecules is a fairly young brand, but they’re also innovative. I’m always on the lookout for new Good Molecules products. I look forward to trying more from them in the future! Have you tried anything from Good Molecules yet? If so, which product is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

Lauren