Formula · 4.8

Brand · 6.2

Librederm · kaolin, sulfur and niacinamide · Russia

LIBREDERM Seracin sebum-regulating white and green clay mask

LIBREDERM Seracin sebum-regulating white and green clay mask
4.8

LabReadAI label score

How the score is calculated
  • Actives and evidence0.8Actives with strong evidence: 2 of 5
  • Active concentration0.2After the 1 % line: sulfur, niacinamide (vitamin b3), glycolic acid — the concentration is likely token
  • Completeness for the purpose0.3For “acne and blackheads” — 28 %; without a BHA (salicylic acid) that clears pores from inside; without a retinoid — the main tool against new plugs; could be added without conflict: salicylic acid (bha); below threshold: zinc pca, sulfur; a broad formula across 3 purposes
  • Tolerance0.8Rinse-off product; debatable groups: fragrance and its allergens (skin test positive in 13 of 100 tested); use together with care: niacinamide (vitamin b3) + glycolic acid
  • adults
  • oily skin
  • pregnancyfew data — ask a doctor
  • acne-pronemay clog pores in leave-on face products
  • dry skindrying — spot use only
  • sensitive skinflaking and redness at a high share
  • before sunSPF is a must in the daytime
  • atopic skinfragrance is a common trigger
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
  • 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
  • evening
in the evening, as a spot treatment or a 10–15 minute mask
When to expect an effect: drying of spots — days; acne overall — 4–8 weeks; tone, pores — 4–8 weeks; sebum — 2–4; sebum, shine — 2–4 weeks; soothing and less tightness — within days; texture, glow — 2–4 weeks
What is normal: sulfur smell, dryness, mild flaking; mild flushing in the first days at high concentration; mild dryness; tingling for 1–2 minutes after applying

Ingredients — 40 components · 5 work

What works: 5 of 40 ingredients: sulfur, niacinamide, zinc pca and 2 more. 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.

What lowers the score: actives and evidence: actives with strong evidence: 2 of 5; active concentration: after the 1 % line: sulfur, niacinamide, glycolic acid — the concentration is likely token; completeness for the purpose: for “acne and blackheads” — 28 %; tolerance: rinse-off product

Questions: fragrance and its allergens: fragrance — 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

  • Niacinamide (vitamin B3) + Glycolic acid — use together with careniacinamide needs a pH of 5 or above, glycolic acid about 3.5; in one product one of the two works worse — better to apply them at different times
  • Niacinamide (vitamin B3) + Zinc PCA — reinforce each otherboth reduce sebum and inflammation — a classic pair for oily skin
  • Aqua 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
  • Kaolin base: coating, fillers · white clay, absorbs oil in masks and powders; does not clog pores
  • Stearic Acid base: coating, fillers · in tablets — a pressing lubricant, in creams — a thickener and soap component; rarely clogs pores in leave-on face products
  • Glyceryl Stearate base: coating, fillers · the basic cream emulsifier (neutral NSE form); the self-emulsifying SE form with added potassium stearate is a separate entry, 3 of 5; does not clog pores
  • Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate base: coating, fillers · keeps the water and oil parts from separating
  • Illite base: coating, fillers · small particles scrub away dead cells by friction
  • Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil base: coating, fillers · the plant base: emollient oils, waxes and care extracts
  • Sesamum Indicum Oil base: coating, fillers · a nourishing emollient oil; may clog pores in leave-on face products
  • Beta Vulgaris (Beet) Root Extract base: coating, fillers · gives colour to the product or the skin
  • Hydrolyzed Corn Starch base: coating, fillers · filler and binder
  • Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer base: coating, fillers · makes the product thicker or thinner
  • Allantoin works · the active ingredient — what the product is for; form: allantoin
  • Sulfur works · the active ingredient — what the product is for; form: sulfur
  • Niacinamide works · the active ingredient — what the product is for; form: niacinamide
  • Calcium Pantothenate base: coating, fillers · makes hair softer and easier to comb
  • Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate label wording · an allergen (sodium (salt)) — matters when limiting salt, for example with blood pressure; the label says it is absent
  • Tocopheryl Acetate base: coating, fillers · vitamin E at hundredths of a percent: keeps the oils of the formula (a cream or a capsule fill) from going rancid; at that share it protects the product, it is not vitamin E as an active
  • Pyridoxine HCl base: coating, fillers · vitamin B6 in a trace dose; applied topically it does not reach the hair or follicle — a label line that does not change how the product works
  • Maltodextrin base: coating, fillers · carbohydrate filler
  • Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate base: coating, fillers · hold the texture: gels, creams and foam do not separate
  • Sisymbrium Officinale 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
  • Arctium Lappa 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
  • Zinc PCA works · the active ingredient — what the product is for; form: zinc PCA
  • Xanthan Gum base: coating, fillers · hold the texture: gels, creams and foam do not separate
  • Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract base: coating, fillers · an ingredient from the European cosmetic ingredient inventory; what exactly it does in this product is not described here yet
  • Aesculus Hippocastanum 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
  • Sclerotium Gum base: coating, fillers · makes the product thicker or thinner
  • Silica base: coating, fillers · tune the acidity and texture; salt is a common shampoo thickener
  • PEG-30 Castor Oil base: coating, fillers · a thick oil, gives lipsticks gloss and balms body; the hydrogenated form is also 1 of 5; does not clog pores
  • Parfum questions · 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
  • Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil base: coating, fillers · the plant base: emollient oils, waxes and care extracts
  • Tocopherol base: coating, fillers · vitamin E at hundredths of a percent: keeps the oils of the formula (a cream or a capsule fill) from going rancid; at that share it protects the product, it is not vitamin E as an active
  • Betasitosterol base: coating, fillers · amino acids, lipids and sugars akin to the skin’s own components — support for its barrier
  • Squalene base: coating, fillers · fills the gaps between skin flakes, so the surface feels smooth
  • Phenoxyethanol base: coating, fillers · the most widespread cosmetic preservative: it keeps the product sterile. Permitted in the EU up to 1 %, recognised as safe at that level.
  • 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.
  • Glycerin base: coating, fillers · a humectant: coats the tablet, holds moisture in creams and shampoos; does not clog pores
  • Citric Acid base: coating, fillers · acidity regulator
  • Glycolic Acid works · the active ingredient — what the product is for; form: AHA acid
  • Tetrasodium EDTA base: coating, fillers · bind hard-water metals so the formula stays stable and the foam works
  • Sodium Hydroxide base: coating, fillers · tune the acidity and texture; salt is a common shampoo thickener

LIBREDERM Seracin sebum-regulating white and green clay mask is a product whose active ingredient is sulfur + niacinamide (vitamin b3) + zinc pca + allantoin. The concentration is not declared and the active sits after the 1 % line — more for the label than for the effect. There is little evidence of effect: sulfur. The effect is supported by studies: niacinamide (vitamin b3), glycolic acid. The effect is moderately supported: zinc pca, allantoin. The formula has 40 ingredients, 5 of which do the work; the rest is the formula base. Worth noting: Parfum (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). Use together with care: niacinamide (vitamin b3) + glycolic acid. Well-matched pairs in the formula: niacinamide (vitamin b3) + zinc pca. 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), parabens, mineral oils and petrolatum, soap, silicones, gelatin in the coating, toning dyes, tar. Suitable for: adults, oily skin. pregnancy, acne-prone, dry skin, sensitive skin, before sun, atopic skin — ask a doctor. rosacea, eczema, children, fragrance allergy — not without a doctor. Use: in the evening, as a spot treatment or a 10–15 minute mask. When to expect an effect: drying of spots — days; acne overall — 4–8 weeks. Label score — 4.8 out of 10 (actives with strong evidence: 2 of 5; after the 1 % line: sulfur, niacinamide (vitamin b3), glycolic acid — the concentration is likely token; for “acne and blackheads” — 28 %; without a bha (salicylic acid) that clears pores from inside; without a retinoid — the main tool against new plugs; could be added without conflict: salicylic acid (bha); below threshold: zinc pca, sulfur; a broad formula across 3 purposes; rinse-off product; debatable groups: fragrance and its allergens (skin test positive in 13 of 100 tested); use together with care: niacinamide (vitamin b3) + glycolic acid). Sulfur dries and the clays with glycolic acid lift the dead cell layer: on dry or sensitive skin keep the mask on for less time and use it less often. Fragrance is present.

Who it does not suit

  • rosacea, eczemanot on inflamed skin
  • childrenonly if prescribed
  • fragrance allergyrisk of reaction

When to stop: burning, persistent redness — stop; persistent burning — stop; tightness, flaking — use less often or stop; burning, persistent redness — stop; do not use the same evening as a retinoid

Per the maker's leaflet: Sulfur dries and the clays with glycolic acid lift the dead cell layer: on dry or sensitive skin keep the mask on for less time and use it less often. Fragrance is present.

Is this product right for your skin?

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Cosmetic ingredient checkDecode my tests

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