Frequently asked questions

Our formulas are made to be gentle: we pair active ingredients with soothing, hydrating ones, and we use stable forms of vitamin C that don't need a stinging low pH.

Our Vitamin C Clay Mask, Superactive Serum, Advanced Brightening Moisturizer and Supernutrient Oil are dermatologist tested. In a repeat insult patch test on 52 adults, supervised by a consulting dermatologist (Princeton Consumer Research, 2023), no irritation or allergic reactions were observed.

Every skin is different, though. Patch test a new product on your inner arm for a few days, introduce one product at a time, and start the Superactive Serum every other night before building up.

Four Gleamin products are dermatologist tested. The Vitamin C Clay Mask, Superactive Serum, Advanced Brightening Moisturizer and Supernutrient Oil were each patch tested in repeat insult patch tests on 52 adults, run by Princeton Consumer Research in 2023 and supervised by a consulting dermatologist. No irritation or allergic reactions were observed.

Our face products (the Vitamin C Clay Mask, Superactive Serum, Advanced Brightening Moisturizer, Supernutrient Oil and Clarifying Brightening Cleanser) and the Illuminating Intimate Serum contain no added fragrance. Some body products, such as the Advanced Brightening Body Cream, the Glow Body Bar and the Vitamin C Bright Hand Cream, do contain fragrance. It is always listed in the ingredients on the label.

Yes. Our products are gluten-free and sulfate-free.

Yes, the Vitamin C Clay Mask is dermatologist tested. The formula went through a repeat insult patch test (HRIPT) on 52 adults, run by Princeton Consumer Research from October to November 2023 and supervised by a consulting dermatologist. No irritation or allergic reactions were observed. The same testing covered the Superactive Serum, the Advanced Brightening Moisturizer and the Supernutrient Oil.

A patch test result doesn't mean no one will ever react, so if your skin is sensitive, try a little on your inner arm first.

The Vitamin C Clay Mask is made not to leave skin tight or dry. Kaolin and Hydroclay lift away oil and buildup, while aloe vera, glycerin, saccharide isomerate and plant oils help skin feel hydrated when you rinse.

To keep it comfortable, leave it on for 10 minutes rather than until it cracks, rinse with warm water, and follow with serum and moisturizer. If your skin still feels tight, use it less often or only on oilier areas like the T-zone.

The Illuminating Intimate Serum is made for sensitive intimate skin. It is pH-balanced, and it pairs its brightening ingredients (4% niacinamide, alpha arbutin and vitamin C) with soothing allantoin, panthenol and centella asiatica.

Every skin is different, so patch test on your inner arm for 2 to 3 days first, use it on external skin only, and stop if it stings, itches or burns. If you have a rash, broken skin or a skin condition in the area, check with a doctor before using it. More on the Illuminating Intimate Serum page.

The Superactive Serum, the Advanced Brightening Moisturizer and the Supernutrient Oil are vegan, as stated on their Amazon listings. All Gleamin products are cruelty-free, gluten-free and sulfate-free.

For any other product, check the ingredient list on its Amazon listing or product page, since listings are the most current source, or email support@gleamin.com and we'll confirm for you.

We don't recommend using a face serum on your bikini line. Intimate skin is thinner and more permeable than facial skin, and strong acids or low-pH serums made for the face can irritate it. On melanin-rich skin, irritation leads to more pigment, not less. Use a formula made for intimate skin instead.

Read Face, body and intimate skin: why each needs different care.

Apply a thin layer to clean, dry skin on the bikini line, inner thighs or underarms, once or twice a day. Keep it external, never inside. Wait a day or two after shaving or waxing, patch test first, and stop if it stings, itches or burns. Breathable cotton underwear and looser fits help by cutting friction.

Yes, with a gentle start. The Superactive Serum balances its 15% vitamin C with niacinamide and hyaluronic acid. Patch test first, then use it once a day or every other day for the first week or two before moving to morning and night. If your skin feels irritated, space it out again and keep your routine simple.

No, keep the Vitamin C Clay Mask away from the under-eye area, eyelids and lips. Eyelid skin is only about 0.5 mm thick, several times thinner than skin elsewhere on the face, and clay can dry and irritate it.

Leave a gap of about a finger's width around the eyes when you apply the mask. For dark circles or under-eye tone, use a gentle eye cream instead. If the mask gets into your eyes, rinse well with water.

A light tingle, or a tight, warm feeling as the clay dries, can be normal, especially on skin that's dry or was recently exfoliated. A little pinkness that settles within 20 to 30 minutes of rinsing is normal too. Burning, stinging that lasts, itching, a rash or redness that doesn't settle isn't.

If it burns, rinse the mask off right away with lukewarm water, pat dry and apply a plain moisturizer. Next time, patch test on your inner arm first, skip freshly shaved, exfoliated, broken or irritated skin, and rinse before the mask dries completely. If reactions keep happening, stop using it and talk to a dermatologist. More in Can you use a vitamin C clay mask on sensitive skin?

Yes, most skin types can use the Clarifying Brightening Cleanser every day. Oily and breakout-prone skin can use it morning and night. Dry or sensitive skin often does best with once a day, in the evening, and a splash of water in the morning, because its exfoliating acids add up.

Massage it onto damp skin for about 30 seconds, then rinse. On nights you use the Vitamin C Clay Mask or another exfoliant, keep the rest of your routine gentle.

Yes. Apply the Illuminating Intimate Serum to clean, dry underarms and let it absorb for 2 to 3 minutes before deodorant, or use it at night and deodorant in the morning. Spacing them out lowers the chance of irritation, which matters because irritation is a main cause of darker underarms.

If your underarms sting, try a fragrance-free deodorant, and skip both products on freshly shaved or broken skin.

No. Lemon juice is highly acidic (pH around 2), which damages the skin barrier, and citrus is phototoxic: combined with sunlight it can cause burns, blisters and phytophotodermatitis, which leaves new dark marks. On melanin-rich skin, this irritation often makes hyperpigmentation worse, and it can also cause patchy light spots. Stable, properly formulated vitamin C gives the brightening benefit of citrus without the burn.

Yes, gentle chemical exfoliants help uneven skin tone by speeding up the shedding of pigmented surface cells. Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) such as glycolic and lactic acid work on the surface, beta hydroxy acid (BHA, salicylic acid) also clears pores, and polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) are the gentlest option for sensitive skin. On darker skin, start low and slow, 2 to 3 times a week, because over-exfoliation causes irritation that can trigger new hyperpigmentation. Always follow with sunscreen.

Chemical peels can be safe for dark skin when they're superficial and done by an experienced professional. Light peels with glycolic, lactic, salicylic or mandelic acid at modest strengths carry a low risk. Medium and deep peels injure more skin and can cause post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or light patches on deeper skin tones.

Choose a provider who works with skin of color regularly, prepare your skin as advised, avoid the sun afterwards, and never use strong at-home peels on intimate areas.

Alpha arbutin is a brightening ingredient, related to a compound found in bearberry leaves, that slows tyrosinase, the enzyme that starts melanin production. In cell and skin-model studies it lowered melanin production without damaging pigment cells.

It's gentle, water-soluble and used at up to 2% in face products. It works gradually, over 8 to 12 weeks, and pairs well with niacinamide and vitamin C, which act on other steps of pigmentation.

Kojic acid is a brightening ingredient made by fungi during the fermentation of rice, the same process used for sake and soy sauce. It slows tyrosinase by binding the copper the enzyme needs, which helps uneven tone look more even. It's usually used at 1% or less, and the EU limits it to 1% in face and hand products.

Kojic acid can cause irritation or allergic reactions in some people, so patch test first and avoid stacking it with many other actives.

Yes. A damaged skin barrier makes dark spots worse because it lets irritants in and water out, which keeps skin mildly inflamed, and inflammation tells pigment cells to make more melanin. Signs include stinging from products that used to feel fine, tightness, flaking and redness.

To repair it, pause exfoliants and strong actives for 1 to 2 weeks, use a gentle cleanser and a moisturizer with ceramides, and keep wearing sunscreen.

The best form of vitamin C depends on your skin. L-ascorbic acid is the most studied and potent form but is unstable and can sting. Stable derivatives are gentler: sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP) is water-soluble and suits sensitive and breakout-prone skin; 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid is stable and penetrates well; tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THD) is oil-soluble and very gentle, ideal in creams and oils; magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP) is mild and hydrating. For sensitive or darker skin prone to irritation, a stable derivative is often the better choice.

Yes, but carefully. Using a low-pH L-ascorbic acid serum at the same time as AHAs or BHAs can irritate skin, and irritation can trigger hyperpigmentation in darker skin tones. A simple approach: vitamin C in the morning, exfoliating acids a few evenings a week. Gentle vitamin C derivatives such as sodium ascorbyl phosphate or tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate combine more easily with other actives.

Vitamin C can suit sensitive skin if you choose the right form. Low-pH L-ascorbic acid is the form most likely to sting or cause redness. Gentler derivatives, such as sodium ascorbyl phosphate, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, work at a skin-friendly pH. Start with a lower concentration every other day, patch test on your inner arm first, and stop if you notice burning or irritation.

Yes, vitamin C is safe and well suited to dark skin. It helps with the concerns most common in melanin-rich skin, such as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and uneven tone, without changing your natural skin tone. The main risk for darker skin is irritation from a very low-pH formula, because irritation can trigger new pigment. Choose a stable, gentle form, introduce it gradually and wear sunscreen daily.

Niacinamide is vitamin B3. It helps uneven skin tone by reducing the transfer of melanin from pigment cells to surrounding skin cells, while vitamin C slows melanin production itself. Niacinamide also supports the skin barrier, reduces the look of redness and helps regulate oil. It is gentle and stable, works at 2 to 5% in most studies, and pairs well with vitamin C for hyperpigmentation-prone skin.

Sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP) is a stable, water-soluble form of vitamin C in which a phosphate group protects the part of the molecule that normally breaks down in light and air. Enzymes in the skin release active vitamin C after it's applied. SAP works at a skin-friendly pH of about 6 to 7, so it rarely stings, and it's usually used at up to 5%. It suits sensitive and breakout-prone skin.

Read the full guide to sodium ascorbyl phosphate.

Sodium ascorbyl phosphate is gentler and more stable than L-ascorbic acid, but less potent per percent. L-ascorbic acid is the active form with the most research, and it works at 10 to 20% at a pH below 3.5. SAP has to be converted by skin enzymes first, so less vitamin C becomes available, but it doesn't oxidize quickly or sting.

For sensitive or melanin-rich skin that reacts to irritation, a stable form you use every day often does more than a potent serum you can't tolerate.

Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THD) is an oil-soluble form of vitamin C, made by bonding vitamin C to fatty acid chains. Because it dissolves in oil, it can go into creams, balms and face oils where water-based vitamin C can't, and it's very stable and gentle, with little risk of stinging. Once in the skin, it's converted to active vitamin C. On labels it may also appear as THD ascorbate or ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate.

Read the full guide to tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate.

Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP) is a stable, water-soluble vitamin C derivative, closely related to sodium ascorbyl phosphate but paired with magnesium instead of sodium. It works at a near-neutral pH, so it's mild enough for sensitive skin, and lab studies suggest it supports hydration and collagen.

It's typically used at 1 to 10%. Like other phosphate forms, it converts to vitamin C in the skin, which makes it gentler but less potent than L-ascorbic acid.

Yes, you can use vitamin C and retinol in the same routine, usually at different times of day. Apply vitamin C in the morning for antioxidant protection under sunscreen, and retinol at night, when it's more stable and your skin can adjust. Using both at once can irritate, especially with a low-pH L-ascorbic acid serum.

Start retinol 2 to 3 nights a week, moisturize well, and wear SPF 30 or higher every day, because retinol makes skin more sensitive to the sun.

A mild tingle for a few seconds after applying vitamin C serum can be normal, especially with L-ascorbic acid, which works at a low pH. Stinging that lasts more than a minute, burning, redness, itching or a rash isn't normal: rinse it off and stop using it.

Applying serum to damp skin or right after exfoliating makes tingling stronger, so apply it to dry skin. If tingling bothers you, switch to a gentler, stable form such as sodium ascorbyl phosphate.

Leave most clay masks on for 10 to 15 minutes, or the time on the label, and rinse before the mask dries completely and cracks. When clay dries fully, it keeps pulling water from your skin, which can leave it tight, flaky and irritated, and irritation can trigger dark marks on melanin-rich skin.

If a mask feels uncomfortably tight sooner, rinse it off early. Use lukewarm water, pat dry and moisturize straight away.

Kaolin is a soft, fine clay that absorbs oil gently, which makes it suitable for normal, dry and sensitive skin. Bentonite is a volcanic clay that swells when wet and absorbs much more oil, so it suits very oily skin but can be drying. Many popular DIY healing-clay powders are calcium bentonite.

Many modern masks blend kaolin with smoothing clays such as hectorite and add hydrating ingredients, so skin isn't left tight.

Yes, you can use a clay mask on dry skin with a few adjustments. Choose a gentle kaolin-based mask that includes hydrating ingredients like aloe, glycerin or plant oils, and avoid pure bentonite.

Use it once a week at most, leave it on for no more than 10 minutes, and rinse before it dries fully. You can also apply it only to oilier zones like the nose and chin. Follow with a rich moisturizer straight away.

A homemade turmeric face mask is usually low risk, but it has drawbacks. Raw turmeric powder stains skin and fabric, the amount isn't controlled, and kitchen ingredients can carry bacteria. Some people develop allergic contact dermatitis to turmeric.

Never add lemon juice, which can burn skin in sunlight, or baking soda, which is too alkaline. If you try it, patch test first, mix the turmeric with plain yogurt or honey, leave it on for 10 minutes and rinse well.

Intimate skin usually means the skin of the bikini line, groin, inner thighs, buttock crease, underarms and the outer genital area. It's thinner, warmer and more exposed to friction, moisture and hair removal than skin elsewhere, and the skin of the vulva is more permeable than facial skin.

That's why intimate skin needs gentler, pH-balanced care. The inside of the vagina is a mucous membrane, not skin, and skincare products shouldn't go there.

To prevent razor bumps and ingrown hairs on the bikini line, stop hairs from curling back into the skin. Shave less often or trim with clippers, shave with the grain using a fresh blade, and never pluck or pick at bumps.

Two or three times a week, a gentle exfoliating lotion with low-strength lactic or salicylic acid helps free trapped hairs. Wear loose, breathable underwear. If bumps are painful, filled with pus or keep coming back, see a doctor.

No, baking soda isn't safe for the bikini area. It has a pH of about 8 to 9, far above the skin's natural pH of around 4.7 to 5.5, so it disrupts the skin barrier and the vulva's protective bacteria. Rubbing it in as a scrub adds friction on top.

The usual result is dryness, burning and irritation, which on melanin-rich skin can lead to more darkening. Skip viral mixes like baking soda with petroleum jelly or lemon.

Niacinamide is generally considered safe for external intimate skin such as the bikini line, groin, inner thighs and underarms. It's gentle, works at a near-neutral pH, and supports the skin barrier while reducing the transfer of pigment to skin cells.

Look for 2 to 5% in a formula made for delicate skin, since higher strengths can cause redness or itching in some people. Keep it off mucous membranes, patch test first, and stop if you notice flushing or irritation.

A PHA (polyhydroxy acid) is a gentle chemical exfoliant, such as gluconolactone or lactobionic acid, that loosens dead surface cells like AHAs do, but with larger molecules that penetrate more slowly. That means less stinging and irritation, which makes PHAs a good fit for sensitive, dry or hyperpigmentation-prone skin.

PHAs also attract water, so they support hydration. They work more gradually than glycolic acid, so give them 4 to 8 weeks of regular use.

Enzyme exfoliation uses fruit enzymes, most often papain from papaya (paw paw), bromelain from pineapple or enzymes from pumpkin, to break down the proteins that hold dead surface cells together. It works without acids or scrubbing, so it's one of the gentlest ways to smooth and brighten dull skin.

You'll find enzymes in cleansers, powders and masks. People allergic to papaya, pineapple or latex should avoid them, and everyone should patch test first.

You're likely over-exfoliating if your skin stings with products that used to feel fine, looks shiny but feels tight, turns red, flakes, or breaks out in small bumps. On melanin-rich skin, over-exfoliation can also leave new dark patches.

Stop all acids, scrubs, retinoids and peels for 1 to 2 weeks and use only a gentle cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen. Then bring back one exfoliant, 2 to 3 times a week at most.

To patch test a new skincare product, apply a small amount to the inside of your forearm or behind your ear once or twice a day for 3 to 5 days, and watch for redness, itching, stinging, bumps or swelling. For face products, then try a small area along the jawline for a few days.

If you react, wash it off and stop using it. A patch test can't rule out every reaction, but it catches most irritation and allergies early.

"Dermatologist tested" means a dermatologist supervised or assessed a test of the product on human skin, most often a patch test for irritation and allergy, such as a repeat insult patch test (HRIPT). In an HRIPT, about 50 or more volunteers wear the product under a patch repeatedly over about 6 weeks, and any skin reactions are graded.

It shows a product is unlikely to irritate most people. It doesn't mean the product works, is endorsed by dermatologists or suits everyone.

Non-comedogenic means a product is formulated not to clog pores or cause comedones (blackheads and whiteheads). The term isn't regulated in the US, and testing ranges from ingredient screening to human use studies.

It's a helpful guide for oily and breakout-prone skin, but reactions differ, so a non-comedogenic product can still break some people out. Watch your skin for 4 to 6 weeks when you try something new.

Fragrance-free means no fragrance ingredients, synthetic or natural, have been added to give the product a scent. Unscented usually means the product has no noticeable smell, but it may contain a masking fragrance to cover the smell of other ingredients, so it can still irritate.

Neither term is strictly regulated in the US. For sensitive skin, choose fragrance-free and check the list for "parfum", "fragrance" and essential oils such as lavender or citrus.