REVIEW: Goop Skincare

I personally feel organic skincare really comes down to personal preference. There is a huge misconception that all synthetic/non-organic ingredients are bad and that all organic/natural ingredients are better. There is no published research to date showing organic ingredients are better or safer for your skin when it comes to skincare. Just because something IS natural/organic, doesn't mean its safe for your skin.  An organic irritant is still an irritant. There is numerous published research that shows when skin is irritated, it not only causes collagen to break down, but impairs the skin's ability to heal. For the record, I really LOVE a lot of organic and green beauty brands and products, and use a lot of them myself. For a more insight, you can check out my previous post about the FDA and natural ingredients. Back to Goop..I was hoping from a lot more from this line, considering I think the Goop team puts in a lot of effort to research the products they support and brands they partner with. I spoke with Yahoo Beauty about this the other day, you can read more about it here: https://www.yahoo.com/beauty/what-it-costs-to-do-skincare-like-gwyneth-paltrow-185826262.html

Onto the ingredients!  (all images and ingredient lists are taken from goop.com)

LUMINOUS MELTING CLEANSER  This smells heavenly, and undoubtedly it is hard to not want to rub it all over your face. But don't, here's why..The first four oils mentioned are found in your typical oil based cleansers, but right after those comes the 'essential oil blend' which are all commonly known irritants. This isn't going to stay on your skin long enough for those irritants to cause trouble, since it is a cleanser and is only in contact with the skin a short time, but why not use an oil cleanser that is 100% safe from irritants! Oil cleansers will remove makeup, but unless you have super dry skin with no visible pores in sight, you still should use a water soluble face wash after an oil cleanser. Or just avoid them completely. Also this is $90! What?? NO! Just, no.  

  • Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil*, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Essential Oil Blend: Monarda Didyma (Bergamot) Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil and Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Oil, Iris Pallida (Sweet Iris) Leaf Cell Extract, Narcissus Poeticus (Poet’s Daffodil) Flower Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Jojoba Esters, Tocopherol, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter.

 

EXFOLIATING INSTANT FACIAL  Most of this line's products starts with grape juice, apple juice, and lemon juice. Grape and apple I can get behind, but lemon is a common irritant along with the 'essential oil blend' that follows. Similar to a cleanser, this isn't staying on your skin very long, but exfoliation should be done gently, and combining exfoliation with irritating ingredients is never a good idea.

  • Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Juice*, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Juice*, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Juice*, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Juice*, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lactic Acid, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cetyl Esters, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Glycolic Acid, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Diheptyl Succinate, Coco-Glucoside, Essential Oil Blend: Monarda Didyma (Bergamot) Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, and Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Oil, Iris Pallida (Sweet Iris) Leaf Cell Extract, Narcissus Poeticus (Poet’s Daffodil) Flower Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Vaccinium Myrtillus (Bilberry) Fruit Extract, Malic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Gluconolactone, Tartaric Acid, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract, Titanium Dioxide, Hydroxypropylcellulose, Sodium Benzoate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Panthenyl Triacetate.

 

REVITALIZING DAY MOISTURIZER  The second ingredient is lemon juice, which is a BAD idea for a leave on product. Lemons, limes, and some other citrus fruits can cause something called phytophotodermatitis (PPD) upon exposure to sunlight. Results from this can be a rash or brown discolorations. A quick google search on this will scare you straight! This is not something you want to have on your skin during the day. If that weren't bad enough, this also has the 'essential oil blend' that is a mix of known irritants, and should absolutely not be in a face product.  For more info on lemon juice and limonene, check out http://www.inchem.org/documents/cicads/cicads/cicad05.htm and http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19125719. There are some other great ingredients in this, its unfortunate that the bad really outweighs the good.

  • Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Juice*, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Juice*, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Juice*, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Juice*, Glycerin*, Vegetable Oil, Diheptyl Succinate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coconut Alkanes, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Fusanus Spitacus (Sandalwood) Kernel Oil, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Stearic Acid, Squalane, Essential Oil Blend: Monarda Didyma (Bergamot) Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, and Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Sorbitan Olivate, Iris Pallida (Sweet Iris) Leaf Cell Extract, Narcissus Poeticus (Poet's Daffodil) Flower Extract, Gluconolactone, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil*, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Behenyl Behenate, Tribehenin, Lysolecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Extract, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Pullulan, Tocopherol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Helianthus Annus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Ascorbic Acid.
     

 

REPLENISHING NIGHT CREAM  This is very similar to the day cream, and the same review applies. This is also packaged in a jar, which even if it was full of amazing ingredients, they wouldn't stay active very long. Ironic note: the description of this product says  "...while linseed extract and hyaluronic acid hydrate, lift and firm" and you will notice hyaluronic listed as the second to LAST ingredient. 

  • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Juice*, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Juice*, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Juice*, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coconut Alkanes, Fusanus Spicatus (Sandalwood) Kernel Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Gluconolactone, Essential Oil Blend: Monarda Didyma (Bergamot) Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, And Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Oil, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Diheptyl Succinate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Iris Pallida (Sweet Iris) Leaf Cell Extract, Narcissus Poeticus (Poet’S Daffodil) Flower Extract, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil*, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil*, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil*, Squalane, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Macadamia Integrifolia (Macadamia) Seed Oil, Jojoba Esters, Cetearyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Extract, Behenyl Behenate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopherol, Tribehenin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate.


 

PERFECTING EYE CREAM  Again we see lemon juice as the second ingredient. This eye cream leaves out the 'essential oil blend' found in the other products, and follows with a great line up. However the jar packaging (oxygen exposure makes actives less active) and the high lemon juice content make this easy to pass over.

  • Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Juice*, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Juice*, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Juice*, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Juice*, Vegetable Oil, Glycerin*, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-6 Tetraoleate, Jojoba Esters, Coconut Alkanes, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Fusanus Spicatus (Sandalwood) Kernel Oil, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Squalane, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil*, Iris Pallida (Sweet Iris) Leaf Cell Extract, Narcissus Poeticus (Poet’s Daffodil) Flower Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil.

 

ENRICHING FACE OIL  This starts out with some great oils, but then the 6th and 7th ingredients, the known irritants: bitter orange and rose germanium turn this into a product I would also skip applying on my face due to possible risks of irritation, especially if you have sensitive skin. 

  • Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil*, Capric/Caprylic Triglyceride, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Leaf/Twig Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens (Rose Geranium) Flower Oil, Tocopherol, Anthemis Nobilis (Roman Chamomile) Flower Oil, Iris Pallida (Sweet Iris) Leaf Cell Extract, Narcissus Poeticus (Poet’S Daffodil) Flower Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil*, Borago Officinalis (Starflower) Seed Oil*, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil.*