Smooth Skin Kit

Small bumps that never come to a head. Skin that manages to be oily and dry in the same week. Those are closed comedones, and they are a type of acne, just without inflammation or bacteria, so the typical acne treatments won't help matters much.

It's actually caused by dead skin cells that are slow to slough off and clogged pores. If your breakouts are red, raised, and sore, you want the Clear Skin Kit instead.

Especially for:

• Skin with congestion: small bumps under the surface that never come to a head and don't respond to anything in the acne aisle
• Combination or breakout-prone skin that got stripped and turned oilier for the trouble
• Skin that swings with the season, greasy in August and tight by October
• Reactive skin that's been hesitant to try acids at all

Two products, one mechanism:

The Illuminating Tonic. Releases the plug. A 9% mandelic acid exfoliant at pH 4.5 that resurfaces gradually rather than aggressively. Mandelic's molecule is roughly twice the size of glycolic, so it absorbs more slowly, which is why reactive and sensitive skin can usually tolerate it.

Hydrating Gel. Puts the water back. The enzymes that break the bonds between dead skin cells need water to do their work, so a dehydrated surface sheds worse than a hydrated one. High-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid holds water right where that work happens.

Every ingredient is in here at a percentage that actually does something, which is also why a little goes a long way.

Available in full size or minis. Both products tie into our refill system, so once you know the routine works you can keep replenishing without buying new packaging each time.

• Full size: The Illuminating Tonic (1 oz) and Hydrating Gel (2 oz)
• Mini: The Illuminating Tonic (0.25 oz) and Hydrating Gel (0.5 oz)

PM, 2 to 3 nights per week to start: After cleansing and patting dry, apply 10 drops of Illuminating Tonic into your palm, rub hands together, and gently pat onto your face and neck. Increase frequency only if your skin asks for more.

AM and PM, daily: Apply a pea-sized to dime-sized amount of Hydrating Gel to damp skin across your face and neck. It works best on damp skin, but dry is fine too.

Every morning: Sunscreen. Chemical exfoliants increase sun sensitivity, and unprotected sun exposure darkens exactly the marks you're trying to fade.

Pacing notes:

• Build slowly. The Tonic is a real active at a functional concentration. Two to three nights a week for the first few weeks tells you more than going nightly and having to stop.
• Give it four to six weeks. Mandelic resurfaces over weeks rather than overnight, and that gradual pace is the point rather than a compromise.
• These two do not run out together, and that's by design. The Tonic is a few nights a week and the Gel is twice a day, so expect to replace the Gel more often.
• A note for anyone with a nut allergy: the Tonic's mandelic acid is derived from almonds, so this Kit is not safe for you. The Hydrating Gel on its own is fine.

We believe in total transparency. Below is a complete list of each and every ingredient in our formulas in their true order of concentration. To learn more about our ingredient standards, click here.

The Illuminating Tonic: water, calendula officinalis (calendula) hydrosol water*, rosa damascena (rose) flower water*, mandelic acid, helichrysum italicum (helichrysum) flower hydrolate*, glycerin*, curcuma longa (turmeric) root extract*, gluconodeltalactone, sodium benzoate, sodium hyaluronate, matricaria recutita (chamomile) flower*, mentha piperita (peppermint) oil, citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil, foeniculum vulgare (fennel) seed oil.
*certified organic

Hydrating Gel: water, alkyl benzoate, glyceryl stearate, calendula officinalis flower water*, rosa damascena (rose) flower water*, helichrysum arenarium (helichrysum) hydrosol water*, glycerin*, hydroxyethylcellulose, sodium alginate, gluconodeltalactone, panax ginseng root extract, centella asiatica extract, populus tremuloides bark extract, aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf powder*, sodium hyaluronate, ocimum basilicum (basil) oil, pelargonium graveolens (geranium) oil, sodium benzoate, citric acid.
*certified organic

This is the most up-to-date ingredient list and may differ from product packaging.

Harding, C. R., Watkinson, A., Rawlings, A. V., & Scott, I. R. (2000). Dry skin, moisturization and corneodesmolysis. International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 22(1), 21–52. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1467-2494.2000.00001.x

Ni, C., Zhang, Z., Wang, Y., Zhang, Z., Guo, X., & Lv, H. (2023). Hyaluronic acid and HA-modified cationic liposomes for promoting skin penetration and retention. Journal of Controlled Release, 357, 432–443. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.03.049

Parcheta, M., Šwisłocka, R., Šwiderski, G., Matejczyk, M., & Lewandowski, W. (2022). Spectroscopic characterization and antioxidant properties of mandelic acid and its derivatives in a theoretical and experimental approach. Materials (Basel, Switzerland), 15(15), 5413. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15155413

Trying something new? You're covered.

30-day guarantee:

💕 Minis are risk-free (refund, no return required)
💗 Full sizes are refundable (refund or 110% store credit)

Learn more here →