Formula · 6.3

Brand · 7.3

COSRX · tea tree + BHA · South Korea

COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser

COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser
6.3

LabReadAI label score

How the score is calculated
  • Actives and evidence0.8Actives with strong evidence: 0 of 2
  • Active concentration0.5After the 1 % line: betaine salicylate (bha) — the concentration is likely token
  • Completeness for the purpose0.3For “acne and blackheads” — 30 %; without niacinamide, which cuts sebum and redness; without a retinoid — the main tool against new plugs; could be added without conflict: niacinamide (vitamin b3), retinoid; below threshold: betaine salicylate (bha), tea tree oil; a narrow formula for one purpose
  • Tolerance1.0No ingredients from irritant or allergen lists
  • adults
  • oily skin
  • acne-prone
  • sensitive skinoxidised oil is a contact allergen
  • childrenage-based dose, with a doctor
  • pregnancysalicylates — ask a doctor
Free from:
  • alcohol (alcohol denat) · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “denatured alcohol” group — evaporates fast and degreases; frequent contact can dry the skin — a tolerance question, not a regulatory one; does not clog pores
  • sulfates (SLS/SLES) · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “ammonium laureth sulfate (ALES), ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS), sodium coco-sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), sodium myreth sulfate, TEA-lauryl sulfate” group — a cleansing surfactant from the sulfate family but with an ethoxylated chain: it cleanses more gently than lauryl sulfate. Still not for those looking for a sulfate-free product.
  • formaldehyde releasers · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “formaldehyde releasers” group — preservatives that slowly release formaldehyde; allowed at low levels but a frequent cause of contact allergy
  • isothiazolinones (MIT/MCI) · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “isothiazolinone preservatives (MIT/MCI)” group — preservatives; banned in EU leave-on products and limited in rinse-off (0.0015%) — a frequent cause of contact allergy
  • fragrance · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “fragrance and its allergens” group — the fragrance and its aromatic components; the EU requires 26 of them to be listed separately — matters to people allergic to fragrance, does not affect how the product works
  • parabens · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “parabens” group — preservatives; methyl- and ethylparaben are recognised as safe at permitted levels, propyl- and butyl- are limited by the EU to 0.14 %; a frequent buyer question rather than proven harm
  • mineral oils and petrolatum · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “petrolatum and mineral oils” group — purified cosmetic-grade petroleum products: form a protective barrier film; safety is established, a preference question; 0–2 of 5 (depends on the raw-material source), cosmetic white oil per DiNardo (2005) is non-comedogenic
  • soap · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “potassium soap (potassium cocoate), plant soap base (sodium palmate, sodium cocoate), tallow soap base (sodium tallowate)” group — liquid soap: fatty acids boiled with alkali. It cleanses well, but its acidity is around 9-10 against 5 for skin, which is why it often leaves tightness. The product is rinsed off, so the question is tolerance.
  • silicones · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “silicones” group — form a smooth film and shine; inert and not absorbed — a preference question, not a safety one
  • gelatin in the coating · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “vegetarian coating” group — a plant-based tablet coating instead of gelatin; it keeps moisture out and makes swallowing easier
  • toning dyes · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “violet toning dyes” group — direct dyes that settle on the hair surface and cancel the yellow cast of blonde; they wash out in 1–3 washes and leave a lilac tint if left too long; HC Blue 2 and Disperse Violet 1 are known contact allergens of hair dyes
  • tar · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “wood (birch) tar” group — a traditional remedy for dandruff and itching with a sharp smell; it reduces flaking, but can irritate a sensitive scalp and dries the hair
What for: Acne products work on four fronts: dissolve plugs (acids), calm inflammation (azelaic acid, niacinamide, zinc), kill bacteria (benzoyl peroxide, tea tree) and prevent new plugs (a retinoid). One active per front is enough; two or three different fronts work noticeably better.
When:
  • when washing, rinsed off
  • morning
  • evening
morning or evening on clean skin
When to expect an effect: acne — 6–12 weeks; blackheads, pores — 4–8 weeks
What is normal: dryness, mild stinging; mild dryness

Ingredients — 24 components · 2 work

What works: 2 of 24 ingredients: tea tree oil, betaine salicylate. Acne products work on four fronts: dissolve plugs (acids), calm inflammation (azelaic acid, niacinamide, zinc), kill bacteria (benzoyl peroxide, tea tree) and prevent new plugs (a retinoid). One active per front is enough; two or three different fronts work noticeably better.

Strengths: tolerance

What lowers the score: actives and evidence: actives with strong evidence: 0 of 2; active concentration: after the 1 % line: betaine salicylate — the concentration is likely token; completeness for the purpose: for “acne and blackheads” — 30 %

Questions: no debatable ingredients in the formula

  • Water base: coating, fillers · water — the solvent and base; listed first because there is more of it than anything else; in supplements — part of the capsule shell
  • Cocamidopropyl Betaine base: coating, fillers · a mild amphoteric surfactant: it builds dense foam and softens the harsh sulfates next to it. It occasionally causes contact allergy, and the culprit is a manufacturing impurity rather than the ingredient itself.
  • Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate base: coating, fillers · a mild surfactant: rich foam without the tight feeling, a frequent sulfate replacement in shampoos.
  • Sodium Chloride base: coating, fillers · tune the acidity and texture; salt is a common shampoo thickener
  • Polysorbate 20 base: coating, fillers · cleanse and bind water with oils; milder than the sulfate ones
  • Styrax Japonicus Branch/Fruit/Leaf Extract base: coating, fillers · plant and algae extracts and floral waters: flavouring and marketing components — at these shares there is no proven effect on the skin; rare reactions in people allergic to that particular plant
  • Butylene Glycol base: coating, fillers · a humectant and solvent: it makes the texture lighter and helps actives spread. Better tolerated than propylene glycol.
  • Saccharomyces Ferment base: coating, fillers · skin-microbiome ferments, prebiotics and formula antioxidants
  • Cryptomeria Japonica Leaf Extract base: coating, fillers · plant and algae extracts and floral waters: flavouring and marketing components — at these shares there is no proven effect on the skin; rare reactions in people allergic to that particular plant
  • Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract base: coating, fillers · plant and algae extracts and floral waters: flavouring and marketing components — at these shares there is no proven effect on the skin; rare reactions in people allergic to that particular plant
  • Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract base: coating, fillers · plant and algae extracts and floral waters: flavouring and marketing components — at these shares there is no proven effect on the skin; rare reactions in people allergic to that particular plant
  • Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract base: coating, fillers · plant and algae extracts and floral waters: flavouring and marketing components — at these shares there is no proven effect on the skin; rare reactions in people allergic to that particular plant
  • Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Flower Extract base: coating, fillers · plant and algae extracts and floral waters: flavouring and marketing components — at these shares there is no proven effect on the skin; rare reactions in people allergic to that particular plant
  • Pueraria Lobata Root Extract base: coating, fillers · plant and algae extracts and floral waters: flavouring and marketing components — at these shares there is no proven effect on the skin; rare reactions in people allergic to that particular plant
  • Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil works · the active ingredient — what the product is for; form: leaf oil
  • Allantoin base: coating, fillers · amino acids, lipids and sugars akin to the skin’s own components — support for its barrier
  • Caprylyl Glycol base: coating, fillers · a humectant that also holds bacteria back, which is why it often replaces part of the preservative.
  • Ethylhexylglycerin base: coating, fillers · a preservative booster and skin-conditioning ingredient: it barely preserves on its own but helps phenoxyethanol work and lowers the amount needed.
  • Betaine Salicylate works · the active ingredient — what the product is for; form: BHA acid
  • Citric Acid base: coating, fillers · acidity regulator
  • Ethyl Hexanediol base: coating, fillers · humectants and solvents — hold water and help actives dissolve
  • 1,2-Hexanediol base: coating, fillers · a solvent and humectant with antimicrobial action: it helps the product keep without classic preservatives.
  • Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate base: coating, fillers · bind hard-water metals so the formula stays stable and the foam works
  • Sodium Benzoate base: coating, fillers · a preservative both in cosmetics and in supplements: a salt of benzoic acid that works in an acidic medium. Permitted as food additive E211 and in cosmetics up to 0.5 %.
  • Disodium EDTA base: coating, fillers · bind hard-water metals so the formula stays stable and the foam works

COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser is a product whose active ingredient is tea tree oil + betaine salicylate (bha). The concentration is not declared, but the active sits above the 1 % line in the list — a working share is likely. The effect is moderately supported: tea tree oil, betaine salicylate (bha). The formula has 24 ingredients, 2 of which do the work; the rest is the formula base. Acne products work on four fronts: dissolve plugs (acids), calm inflammation (azelaic acid, niacinamide, zinc), kill bacteria (benzoyl peroxide, tea tree) and prevent new plugs (a retinoid). One active per front is enough; two or three different fronts work noticeably better. By the list, no alcohol (alcohol denat), sulfates (SLS/SLES), formaldehyde releasers, isothiazolinones (MIT/MCI), fragrance, parabens, mineral oils and petrolatum, soap, silicones, gelatin in the coating, toning dyes, tar. Suitable for: adults, oily skin, acne-prone. sensitive skin, children, pregnancy — ask a doctor. fragrance allergy — not without a doctor. Use: morning or evening on clean skin. When to expect an effect: acne — 6–12 weeks. Label score — 6.3 out of 10 (actives with strong evidence: 0 of 2; after the 1 % line: betaine salicylate (bha) — the concentration is likely token; for “acne and blackheads” — 30 %; without niacinamide, which cuts sebum and redness; without a retinoid — the main tool against new plugs; could be added without conflict: niacinamide (vitamin b3), retinoid; below threshold: betaine salicylate (bha), tea tree oil; a narrow formula for one purpose).

Who it does not suit

  • fragrance allergyrisk of reaction

When to stop: itching, rash — stop; burning — stop

Is this product right for your skin?

The score describes the formula, not your skin: the same product dries one person and saves another. Describe your skin type, reactions and goals, attach a photo of the ingredient list or the product — we will go through every ingredient and say whether it suits you, what to pair it with and what to avoid.

Cosmetic ingredient checkDecode my tests

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