THE PRODUCT
GLOSSIER: SOLUTION
This isn’t our first foray or stab at reviewing the Glossier brand (read here), so we won’t bore you with the repetitive banter. But what we do know about the Glossier wave craze is that the brand has no intention of stopping. There seems to be a new product release from the brand every month! So when Glossier launched their Glossier Solution which was marketed as a 10% blend of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA)/beta hydroxy acid (BHA)/polyhydroxy acid (PHA); we had to chime in with our science-based review on this “exfoliating skin perfector”. Overall, there have been many iterations of the AHA/BHA/PHA blended exfoliating solutions out in the market. So it wasn’t surprising when Glossier launched their own version.
Trigger warning: True to Glossier form, the package is pink. Millennial pink or rose quartz as established by Pantone.
Personally, I equate the whole “pink” revolution to the pre-Millennial, Audrey Hepburn, “think pink” days of Funny Face (one of my all-time favorite films).
One thing is clear, this won’t be our first stab at these types of products.
Alright then, let’s look at the ingredients!
THE INGREDIENTS
Active Ingredient
Inactive Ingredients
THE CLAIMS
The claims as detailed on the website for the Glossier Solution were limited and fairly simple:
“Transforms the look of skin in four weeks.
What it is: A gentle way to slough away dead skin to reveal a fresh, smooth complexion
Why it’s special:
- Unlike physical scrubs, Solution uses a 10% blend of skincare acids to “unglue” dead skin and sweep them away, so your complexion appears smoother, softer, and glowier
- Includes three acid groups: Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA), Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA), and Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA)
- Daily use helps clear up acne and blackheads while reducing visible redness and enlarged pores
Good to know: hypoallergenic, dermatologist-tested, paraben free, appropriate for all skin types, cruelty free, vegan.
Salicylic Acid: BHA that reduces acne and unclogs pores.
Glycolic Acid: Brightening AHA that visibly improves skin tone and texture.
Lactic Acid: AHA that reduces the appearance of dark spots.
Gluconolactone: PHA that exfoliates while also moisturizing and conditioning.
Anti-Stress Complex: Ultra-soothing aloe, hydrating glycerin, and calming niacinamide.
Solution Clinical Trial
In a clinical trial of Solution daily users, 3 out of 4 people said…
AFTER 24 HOURS: Skin felt cleaner and softer; they felt Solution working right after they applied it.
AFTER 1 WEEK: Skin looked smoother, brighter, and clearer.
AFTER 2 WEEKS: Pores looked smaller and skin looked glowy; Solution reduced blackheads including around the nose.
AFTER 3 WEEKS: Solution unclogged pores and visibly reduced redness; skin looked more even.
AFTER 4 WEEKS:
- 7 out of 10 people said skin looked transformed.
- 3 out of 4 people said this was the solution they were looking for.
- In a poll of Solution daily users with acne-prone skin, 94% said their skin looked clearer.
About the Solution trial: The Solution clinical trial was conducted by a third-party lab and included 60 people between the ages of 14 and 40. The participants tried “a novel exfoliating facial skin perfecting product” in lab packaging, with no brand affiliation. They used Solution for four weeks, and tracked their progress and opinions throughout the trial.”
Ok, let’s parse this baby to its bare bones based on its ingredients:
Substantiated | Claims | What's the Problem? |
---|---|---|
👍🏻 | Uses a 10% blend of skincare acids to “unglue” dead skin and sweep them away, so your complexion appears smoother, softer, and glowier. | None |
👍🏻 | Includes three acid groups: Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA), Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA), and Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA) | None |
👍🏻 | Daily use helps clear up acne and blackheads while reducing visible redness and enlarged pores. | None |
👍🏻 | Salicylic Acid: BHA that reduces acne and unclogs pores. | None |
👍🏻 | Glycolic Acid: Brightening AHA that visibly improves skin tone and texture. | None |
👍🏻 | Lactic Acid: AHA that reduces the appearance of dark spots. | None |
👍🏻 | Gluconolactone: PHA that exfoliates while also moisturizing and conditioning. | None |
👍🏻 | Anti-Stress Complex: Ultra-soothing aloe, hydrating glycerin, and calming niacinamide. | None |
👍🏻 | Hypoallergenic, dermatologist-tested, paraben free, appropriate for all skin types, cruelty free, vegan. | None |
🚫 | Clinical Trial Results in 24 hours: Skin felt cleaner and softer; they felt Solution working right after they applied it. | No clinical trial number linked or referenced to substantiate claim. |
🚫 | Clinical Trial Results in 1 week: Skin looked smoother, brighter, and clearer. | No clinical trial number linked or referenced to substantiate claim. |
🚫 | Clinical Trial Results in 2 weeks: Pores looked smaller and skin looked glowy; Solution reduced blackheads including around the nose. | No clinical trial number linked or referenced to substantiate claim. |
🚫 | Clinical Trial Results in 3 weeks: Solution unclogged pores and visibly reduced redness; skin looked more even. | No clinical trial number linked or referenced to substantiate claim. |
🚫 | Clinical Trial Results in 4 weeks: 7 out of 10 people said skin looked transformed, 3 out of 4 people said this was the solution they were looking for. In a poll of Solution daily users with acne-prone skin, 94% said their skin looked clearer. | No clinical trial number linked or referenced to substantiate claim. |
It’s important to note that the third-party clinical trial study was conducted with 60 participants between the ages of 14 and 40. However, the exact age distribution or skin type of participants was not addressed or publicly available. This lack of information does pose an inherent bias to this study as the consumer is unable to examine the results or substantiate the scientific validity of the data.
Ok, now the before and after pictures.
We say this a lot, “a picture is worth a thousand words”, but with social media and curated photographs; I’m always wary when it comes to true, unadulterated photos. So always take pictures posted by a brand for what it’s worth – meaning it can certainly lean toward being biased. That’s my two cents.
SKIN TYPE & USE
According to Glossier, the Solution may be applied per the following:
- Once a day after cleansing with our Milky Jelly, press a cotton pad on top of the Solution dispenser and pump down to saturate the pad.
- Sweep pad across the face and neck, gently pressing into the skin while doing so. Allow a moment for Solution to fully absorb into skin.
- Use with our Invisible Shield to keep skin protected.
Pretty self-explanatory!
THE GOOD & THE BAD
We certainly aren’t noobs when it comes to Glossier reviews – right? So we won’t dive into old business but we won’t stray away from new business either. The Glossier Solution is a product that wouldn’t be considered novel. In fact, if you dig a little – you’d be able to find varying options that are similar to the formulation.
The success of the product is reliant on the expectation that users will be regimented with their use; and with time and constant use, rewards will be reaped. It is good to see that the first ingredient listed (as an active) is 0.5% salicylic acid, followed by a slew of “inactive ingredients”. However, as we mentioned earlier since 0.5% is on the lower end of the 0.5-3.0% recommended salicylic acid range, you may want to question how effective the Glossier Solution might be for those with more rugged skin types.
Then there are the other “inactive ingredients” which are not to be taken lightly; such as lactic acid, glycolic acid, gluconolactone, citric acid, acetic acid, and niacinamide.
If we look at the first inactive ingredient listed (due to abundance) as being water, we understand that there can be issues of bacterial contamination or growth. Thankfully, there is an ingredient that may counter this within the formulation – such as chelating agents: gluconolactone and citric acid.
But if we look at the Glossier Solution, we notice varying forms of pH adjusters and preservatives which are included:
- pH adjusters (sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, glycolic acid, citric acid, and acetic acid)
- Preservatives (pentylene glycol, ethylhexylglycerin, and caprylyl glycol).
And of course, there the general observance of parfum/fragrance formulated within the product. If you suffer from general sensitivities to added parfum or fragrance agents, then take heed.
THE UGLY (PRICE)
DO I NEED THIS?
If you tend to suffer from dull and patchy skin texture but have never ventured into the realm of AHAs, BHAs, or even PHAs; then the Glossier Solution may be up your street. The concentration range seems to be formulated very mildly with its active (salicylic acid) set at 0.5% on the 0.5 to 3.0% range. If you’ve been around the block when it comes to AHAs/BHAs, then this might not be the product for you.
And of course, there are a myriad of salicylic acid focused products out there – many of which are set at varying price points and differing target skin issues.
Like any treatment focused product, prolonged or constant use is key to the success of unlocking significant skin improvements.
DUPES
Biologique Recherche Lotion P50 (Vicki Morav)
COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner
OLEHENRIKSEN Balancing Force™ Oil Control Toner
SkinCeuticals Conditioning Toner
REN Clean Skincare Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic
True Botanicals Clear Nutrient Toner
Moon Juice Beauty Shroom Exfoliating Acid Potion
Kate Somerville EradiKate® Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment
The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution
ARE THE CLAIMS BACKED BY SCIENCE?
I’ve said this before and it certainly bears repeating, having clinical trial claims published on your website is good stuff. In fact, it’s amazing if the results warrant a celebration based on successful skin improvements. However, when a company promotes its product as effective based on clinical trials/third party lab testing or internal studies, the validity of those claims is fruitless if the consumer has no access to substantiating the results itself. Therefore, unless a company publicly reports and/or links the study (with applicable results), making clinical claims without access to that finite data is ineffectual. But that’s my own personal scientific opinion to that matter.
We all know that the regulatory guidance for the cosmetic and beauty industry is not as robust or clear when you compare it to that of the pharmaceutical or biotech industry. And as such, making bold aesthetic skin claims can often teeter on the verge of therapeutic claims – which can be dangerous if not properly monitored or controlled.
Overall, most of the claims for the Glossier Solution were not overtly specific and therefore may be drawn from multiple ingredients. Likewise, most of the ingredients had multiple benefits that could be applied to each individual claim. My advice is always to take heed to what can be drawn from some of these ingredients and really confirm clinical claims that are often touted by a brand.
Until my next review!
3 comments
Thank you for this article. I bought the Solution but can’t figure out how much AHA or PHA are in it. Can you?
Hi Donna – I’ve touched base on gluconolactone (or PHA) within the post. So please check it out! 🙂 But just in case you missed it, Glossier did not provide the exact percent concentration of gluconolactone that is formulated in their Solution. However, since we do know is that the blend of AHA/BHA/PHA is 10%, we are assured that gluconolactone is likely formulated below the recommended percentage needed for effective anti-aging improvement based on the 1992 (at least 14%) and 2004 (at least 10-12%) studies.
this article was exactly what i was looking for to confirm my thoughts. the percentage of salicylic acid is so low i don’t see it doing anything for me.