medik8 Glycolic Acid Activator
medik8 Medik8 Glycolic Acid Activator lists 9 ingredients on its label, 9 decoded. See what each one does, its irritancy and comedogenic tendency, and its status in national inventories.
Ingredients overview
Label order. Colour is our internal rating: green routine, yellow restricted or worth a look, red prohibited or high-risk, grey not yet decoded.
Ingredients are listed in label order; the order reflects the label only, not exact concentrations.
Highlights
Free of alcoholFree of fragranceFree of parabensFree of siliconesFree of sulfatesFree of mineral oilFree of essential oilsFree of formaldehyde releasersContains PEG
Key ingredients
- SOLVENT
- Aqua
- BUFFERING
- Glycolic AcidSodium Hydroxide
- SKIN CONDITIONING
- 1,2-Hexanediol
- SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING
- Polysorbate 20
- HUMECTANT
- Sodium HyaluronateButylene Glycol
- CHELATING
- Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Other ingredients
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aqua | SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Glycolic Acid | BUFFERING | 2 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Hydroxide | BUFFERING, DENATURANT · 限制 III/15a | 3 · – | Green |
| 1,2-Hexanediol | SKIN CONDITIONING, SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Polysorbate 20 | SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Hyaluronate | HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Butylene Glycol | HUMECTANT, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Caprylhydroxamic Acid | CHELATING | 0 · – | Green |
| Disodium EDTA | CHELATING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
Ingredients explained
- Aqua
- Solvent, main base; microbial control is critical
- Glycolic Acid
- Glycolic acid for exfoliation; requires buffering at concentrations >10%, avoid combination with other acids.
- Sodium Hydroxide
- Strong base neutralizer for pH adjustment; handle with extreme care
- 1,2-Hexanediol
- Polyol solvent and preservative booster at 1–5%; light feel, can replace some traditional preservatives
- Polysorbate 20
- Non-ionic emulsifier and cleansing surfactant; contains PEG, control microbial load.
- Sodium Hyaluronate
- Potent humectant at 0.1–2%; different MW for penetration depth, high levels may draw moisture
- Butylene Glycol
- Polyol humectant and solvent at 1–5%; aids solubilization, light feel
- Caprylhydroxamic Acid
- Chelating agent to stabilize metal ions; often paired with antioxidants for system stability, used at low levels
- Disodium EDTA
- Chelating agent at 0.05–0.5%; sequesters metal ions for stability, boosts preservative efficacy
Source: full ingredient list published on the product label, collected 2026-09-19. Ratings are our internal reading, not a regulatory conclusion. · Product page
Want to build one like this? Send an enquiry