Derma E Even Tone Brightening Cleanser Review

Not long ago I found out that Alba Ramos of SunKissAlba uses Derma E products and teamed up with them to create her own formula. She’s a natural health and beauty YouTube video and content creator I like to glean tips from.

I’ve never used any of their products and felt inspired to start by testing out the Derma E Even Tone Brightening Cleanser.

In this review, I’m going to share details about how well it works based on my personal experience and the safety of the Even Tone Brightening Cleanser.

How does the product work for me?

I’ve used the Even Tone Brightening Cleanser for a little over a year as part of my simple daily facial care routine.

Important Note:

Make sure you use a good SPF or sunscreen after using the Even Tone Cleanser. I believe this is crucial! And I’ll explain why when I go over the safety of the ingredients.

After washing my face I follow up with Rose Petals Rosewater as a facial toner and good quality extra virgin olive oil or unrefined coconut oil.

It does help to even out my skin tone!

The cleanser has a nice gentle fragrance. It seems like it gets to work while I’m washing my face. Right away my complexion seems more even and my face appears smoother.

My skin tone looks better compared to days when I’m not on top of my skincare routine. Plus, I get complements on my complexion.

As a bonus it helps to get rid of and prevent acne!

Within a month of using this product the acne on my face began to disappear and my skin has been clear ever since.

As an adult I still deal with acne breakouts. So it was great to find a product that keeps acne at bay and isn’t very expensive.

Be aware.

I did notice though, my skin became dry and flaky when I didn’t moisturize it right after washing. From my experience, it’s crucial to apply a facial moisturizer immediately after using the cleanser.

Be careful not to get any in your eyes like I did! My vision was a tad bit blurred on and off in one eye until the next morning. Now, in my opinion, this isn’t a huge deal. I still use it.

Thank God, as I said, it was only a tiny bit affected and it was back to normal in less than 24 hours.

But, if it makes you hesitant about using this product, by all means, do what’s best for you. The main purpose of this site is to nurture health. Not the opposite.

But, as with most soaps burning will occur if it penetrates the eyes. The blurred vision might be a concern, but maybe not major since it was only slightly affected and lasted less than twenty-four hours.

Are the ingredients in this product natural?

All of the ingredients are not natural. On the bottle some have a scientific name along with a common name, such as “Coconut” then the word “Derived” within parenthesis. Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine (Coconut Derived) is one example.

I assumed words like “Coconut” or “Vitamin” in parenthesis equal natural. I was wrong. After researching I realized some ingredients in this cleanser are synthetic (including the one previously mentioned).

How safe are the ingredients in the Derma E Even Tone Brightening Cleanser?

Below is a list of all the ingredients in the Derma E cleanser along with some information on how the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Skin Deep Cosmetic Database rates how safe they are for your health.

The EWG is a non-profit organization that keeps consumers informed on the safety of ingredients within food, body, and home products, as well as the impact they have on the environment.

The EWG rates each ingredient on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the lowest possible score and 10 being the highest. Scores 1 and 2 indicate the ingredient is a low hazard. Scores 3 to 6 equal a moderate hazard and 7 to 10 represent a high hazard.

So, according to the EWG 14 of the 20 ingredients in this cleanser are a low hazard, 5 are a moderate hazard, and 1 is a high hazard. There are 8 that have some safety concerns and 6 of those ingredients involve skin, eye, or lung irritation and allergies.

For more details read Ingredient Info For The Derma E Even Tone Brightening Cleanser. Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A) is the most crucial to discuss and I’ll explain why after going over the irritations and allergies.

Are the skin, eye, or lung irritation and allergies serious health hazards?

Dry skin is one kind of irritation caused, but I’m not sure what the others are. Certain eye and lung irritations can be avoided by keeping the product out of your eyes and away from your mouth.

Also, some ingredients are more harmful when inhaled or ingested only at full concentration. Cosmetic products commonly use a smaller concentration.

For instance, The Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) states that phenoxyethanol is toxic and causes skin, eye, and lung irritation when undiluted or in high doses.

Although the International Journal of Toxicology insists cosmetic products typically use a safe and low percentage, the European Commission affirms that phenoxyethanol is toxic when used on the lips or around the mouth.

I don’t know the exact kind of skin, eye, or lung irritations and allergies caused by each ingredient with these reactions. So it’s tough to say how harmful each one is while keeping in mind they are considered low to moderate hazards.

What are the dangers of Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A)?

Retinyl Palmitate is made up of palmitic acid and retinol (Vitamin A). Being in direct sunlight after applying it to your skin can cause growth and acceleration of skin tumors and lesions. And according to the Environmental Working Group retinyl palmitate is a high hazard.

So, does this make the product unsafe? There are a few questions I think need to be answered first;

Does using the Even Tone Brightening Cleanser have the potential to cause these same harmful effects?
Is there a safe amount of retinyl palmitate companies are required or recommended to include in products without causing harm, and does Derma E stay within that safety limit?
Will using products that are meant to be washed off shortly after application (such as this cleanser) have the same health risks?

I decided to email Derma E with these same questions. Below is the company’s reply.

DERMA E recommends you use a sunscreen every day. Here is more specific information for you regarding Vitamin A:

VITAMIN A STATEMENT

DERMA E is aware of the recent reports cautioning against the use of Vitamin A in sunscreen. Our SPF formulas do not contain Vitamin A.

DERMA E does have research showing that Vitamin A offers multiple skin benefits. Also referred to as the “skin vitamin”, Vitamin A has been shown to encourage cellular renewal to help reveal younger-looking skin. Vitamin A has also been shown to help reduce the look of wrinkles, skin roughness and support healthy tone and texture. Therefore, we do use this ingredient in our other formulas. We use a gentle yet effective concentration of 10,000IU – 20,000IU per 100 grams that is lower than prescription and OTC products.

We will continue to formulate products based on the latest, scientific research to ensure the safety and efficacy of all of our products.

I still felt I needed a little more clarity, so I sent Derma E another email. Here is their response.

Let me clarify a bit more. DERMA E uses a low concentration of Vitamin A, Retinyl Palmitate so that there are no toxicity concerns. We do always recommend that an SPF should be used if the skin is to be exposed to direct sunlight. That would include both face and body. Therefore we also offer a line of Natural Mineral Sunscreen’s.

So Derma E is saying that the company may include retinyl palmitate (Vitamin A) in various products other than their SPF formulas. They use 10,000IU — 20,000 IU per 100 grams which the company says is a low and non-toxic concentration.

Retinyl palmitate or Vitamin A is known to cause cancer if you are in direct sunlight after applying to the skin. But, Derma E says that they use a low and non-toxic amount in their products.

What’s the safest or best way to use this cleanser?

In my personal opinion, if you use the Derma E Even Tone Brightening Cleanser, it’s best to apply a good SPF to your skin that does NOT include retinyl palmitate or Vitamin A.

Even though sunscreen is required before being exposed to direct sunlight, I would personally use sunscreen whether or not I plan on going outdoors in the sun, just to be safe.

Another important tip is to apply the SPF where you use the cleanser. So, if you wash your face and neck with the Even Tone Cleanser, rub your SPF on your face and neck as well.

Here are the eco-ethical advantages and health benefits labeled on the back of the bottle:

Cruelty-free affirms none of the ingredients in this product were tested on animals
GMO-free indicates it doesn’t include any ingredients that have been genetically modified or altered in a way that doesn’t occur naturally
Gluten-free denotes it has no gluten–a protein known to cause allergies when consumed (especially in a high amount) or applied to the skin
Soy-free means the product is free of soy–a protein made from the soybean that may lead to allergies
Recyclable means it comes in a recyclable and biodegradable container and packaging
Wind Energy (Certificates) provides proof that Derma E has been manufacturing with wind power in an effort to diminish carbon dioxide emissions

What I like and dislike about the Derma E Even Tone Brightening Cleanser

Pros

Some ingredients are natural
Gives my skin a nice even and smooth complexion
helps to get rid of and prevent acne
Eco-friendly benefits (not tested on animals, recyclable, and Wind Energy Certified)
GMO, gluten, and soy free
It has a soft fresh scent.

Cons

Has synthetic ingredients
Some ingredients may cause skin, eye, or lung irritation and allergies
Contains retinyl palmitate which is considered a high hazard (but only when exposed to direct sunlight after using it)
Causes dry and flaky skin if moisturizer isn’t applied right after use

I’d prefer a 100% natural face wash, so I really don’t like that some of the ingredients are synthetic. But, at the same time, they’re not highly hazardous so I’m not entirely opposed to it.

However, if you don’t mind using synthetics and you find value in the benefits, then maybe you’ll like it.

I’m going to keep using the Derma E Even Tone Brightening Cleanser for now, especially since I like what it does for my skin. But, I’ll also continue searching for a completely natural facial cleanser that gives me great results.

Have you found a great natural facial wash?

Resources
https://dermae.com/
https://greenopedia.com/natural-vs-synthetic-ingredients/
https://www.ewg.org/
http://www.wellnesstoday.com/beauty/phenoxyethanol-in-beauty-products-is-it-safe