Claims vs. Reality
CoalBerry Cleanser is a low-pH light gel cleanser formulated with premium-grade activated charcoal, honey extract, and a special blend of 10 different berry extracts for a potent antioxidant shot. Enjoy the goodness of our CoalBerry Cleanser, including brightening, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging effects.
A highly unique, dark-tinted low-pH gel cleanser. It steps away from standard alkaline soaps by using Ammonium Laureth Sulfate (a milder, large-molecule alternative to SLS) combined with Coco-Glucoside for a gentle, non-stripping lather. The activated charcoal acts as a mild absorbent for surface pollutants, while the staggering complex of 10 different berry extracts provides a massive antioxidant bath to neutralize environmental free radicals during the wash phase. It leaves the skin exceptionally soft rather than squeaky clean.
The Reality: The intense concentration of berry derivatives supplies significant amounts of Vitamin C and anthocyanins to protect the acid mantle from oxidation during the cleansing process safely.
The Reality: The antioxidant wash accelerates superficial clearing and brightening, but deep physical pitted scars demand clinical fractional CO2 lasers entirely.
The Reality: The cleanser is masterfully balanced at a skin-identical pH of 5.5, ensuring the protective lipid barrier is never shocked or stripped by alkaline spikes flawlessly.
👍 Formulator Pros
- Delivers an unparalleled botanical antioxidant bath directly within the cleansing step, protecting against environmental smog.
- Formulated at a strictly skin-identical pH, guaranteeing that the face never feels tight, pulled, or squeaky after rinsing.
- 100 percent free from added fragrances, volatile alcohols, or heavy pore-clogging oils, maximizing safety parameters.
👎 Potential Downsides
- The dark gel texture requires thorough rinsing to ensure no faint charcoal streaks are left near the hairline or jaw.
- Lacks heavy lipophilic solvent power; it struggles to dissolve waterproof heavy sunscreens or long-wear foundation completely.
- The natural scent derived from the berry complex and charcoal can be quite earthy, which may surprise first-time users.
Is This Right for You?
Verify this formulation matches your specific skin profile before buying.
| Sallow Complexions and Sun Damage | ✅ Yes | The massive antioxidant payload from the berry complex intercepts oxidative stress instantly, revealing a brighter, fresher baseline smoothly. |
| Sensitive and easily stingable skins | ✅ Yes | Avoids harsh industrial SLS, utilizing milder, large-molecule surfactants that cleanse without breaching the delicate moisture mantle safely. |
| Oily and Congested Skin Maps | ✅ Yes | The activated charcoal powder acts as a gentle physical sponge, drawing out daily impurities and excess sebum without intense abrasion. |
| Severe Open Weeping Tissue Wounds | ❌ No | Washing un-buffered bleeding flesh matrices with standard cleansing surfactants introduces localized smarting risks entirely. |
✅ Perfect Match
❌ Better Avoid
How It Feels & Absorbs
How to Layer It
Step placement, ingredient interactions, and what to expect over time.
Because this is a low-foaming gel, practice the Emulsify First method. Squeeze the gel into completely wet hands and rub your palms together vigorously for 5 seconds to activate the micro-lather before applying it to your face for the most effective wash.
Can Combine With
Enemies — Do Not Mix
⏳ Timeline Expectations
Inside the Bottle
Heroes and formulation notes — not just the raw INCI list. Hover chips for details.
Full Formula Scan
Automatically parsed and cross-referenced with the Glowwe Lab database.
| # | Ingredient | What It Does | Safety | Irr / Com |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Aqua Solvent / Base | The pure water solvent base. | Safe | 0 / 0 |
| 02 | Ammonium Laureth Sulfate Surfactant | A milder, large-molecule alternative to SLS that provides robust cleansing power with significantly lower barrier-breaching potential cleanly. | Safe | 1 / 0 |
| 03 | Cocamidopropyl Betaine Cleanser / Surfactant | The gentle, coconut-derived foaming agent. | Safe | 1 / 0 |
| 04 | Coco-Glucoside Cleanser / Surfactant | The biodegradable, baby-safe cleanser. | Safe | 0 / 0 |
| 05 | Glyceryl Oleate Functional / Support | The skin-identical lipid emulsifier. | Safe | 0 / 2 |
| 06 | Fragaria Vesca (Strawberry) Extract Pending Data | Awaiting lab classification. | Unknown | - / - |
Common Questions
What the community asks most — answered with formulation facts.
Why is the cleanser dark or black?+
The dark color comes completely naturally from the premium Activated Charcoal Powder in the formula. It acts as a gentle sponge to absorb impurities, and there are no artificial dyes used safely smoothly.
Will this cleanser leave my face feeling tight?+
Not at all. Because it avoids harsh SLS and is balanced at a low pH of 5.5, it cleanses deeply without the extreme squeaky-clean stripping effect, leaving your skin soft and hydrated cleanly.
Can I use it to remove makeup?+
No. While it is an excellent facial cleanser, water-based gels cannot properly dissolve waterproof SPF or high-resistance foundation polymers. You must use a dedicated cleansing oil or balm first cleanly.