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Score legend
HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES LEARN MORE ABOUT EWG VERIFIED®
Product score: 03

Data Availability:

Limited

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner

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CATEGORY

Exfoliant/Scrub

BRAND

The Ordinary

DATA LAST UPDATED

October 2024

Ingredient concerns

See how this product scores for common concerns.

  • LOW
    Cancer
  • HIGH
    Allergies & Immunotoxicity
  • LOW
    Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity
  • HIGH
    Use Restrictions

Ingredient scores

Ingredients are scored based on their formulation and concentration in this product. Click on an ingredient for more information.

Ingredient score: 01
WATER
Data Availability: Robust
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FUNCTION(S) solvent
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Ingredient score: 03
GLYCOLIC ACID
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) buffering, exfoliant, ph adjuster
CONCERNS • Cancer (low)
• Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low)
• Enhanced skin absorption
• Use restrictions (high)
• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high)
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Ingredient score: 01
ROSA DAMASCENA FLOWER WATER
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) masking, skin conditioning, skin protecting, fragrance ingredient
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Ingredient score: 01
CENTAUREA CYANUS (CORNFLOWER) FLOWER WATER
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) skin conditioning, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
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Ingredient score: 01
ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF WATER
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) masking, fragrance ingredient
CONCERNS • Use restrictions (low)
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Ingredient score: 02
PROPANEDIOL
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) solvent, viscosity controlling, viscosity decreasing agent
CONCERNS • Cancer (low)
• Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low)
• Enhanced skin absorption
• Endocrine disruption (low)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high)
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Ingredient score: 01
GLYCERIN
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) denaturant, humectant, perfuming, solvent, fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, oral care agent;oral health care drug, skin-conditioning agent - humectant, skin protectant, viscosity decreasing agent
CONCERNS • Use restrictions (moderate)
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Ingredient score: 06
TRIETHANOLAMINE
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) buffering, emulsifying, masking, surfactant, fragrance ingredient, ph adjuster, surfactant - emulsifying agent
CONCERNS • Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate)
• Use restrictions (high)
• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate)
• Contamination concerns (NITROSAMINES)
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Ingredient score: 01
AMINOMETHYL PROPANOL
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) buffering, ph adjuster
CONCERNS • Use restrictions (high)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high)
• Contamination concerns (NITROSAMINES and OXAZOLIDINE)
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Ingredient score: 01
PANAX GINSENG (GINSENG) ROOT EXTRACT
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) emollient, hair conditioning, skin protecting, tonic, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
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Ingredient score: 01
Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit Extract
Data Availability: Limited
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Ingredient score: 01
ASPARTIC ACID
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) antistatic, hair conditioning, masking, skin conditioning, fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
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Ingredient score: 01
ALANINE
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) antistatic, hair conditioning, masking, skin conditioning, fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
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Ingredient score: 01
GLYCINE
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) antistatic, buffering, hair conditioning, skin conditioning, buffering agent, fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent -miscellaneous
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Ingredient score: 01
SERINE
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) antistatic, hair conditioning, masking, skin conditioning, fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
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Ingredient score: 01
VALINE
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) antistatic, hair conditioning, masking, skin conditioning, fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
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Ingredient score: 01
ISOLEUCINE
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) antistatic, hair conditioning, skin conditioning, fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
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Ingredient score: 01
PROLINE
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) hair conditioning, skin conditioning, fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
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Ingredient score: 01
THREONINE
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) antistatic, hair conditioning, hair waving or straightening, fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
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Ingredient score: 01
HISTIDINE
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) antistatic, humectant, skin conditioning, fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
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Ingredient score: 01
PHENYLALANINE
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
CONCERNS • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate)
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Ingredient score: 01
GLUTAMIC ACID
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) antistatic, hair conditioning, humectant, fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - humectant
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Ingredient score: 01
ARGININE
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) antistatic, hair conditioning, masking, skin conditioning, fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
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Ingredient score: 01
PCA
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) humectant, moisturising, skin-conditioning agent - humectant
CONCERNS • Use restrictions (low)
• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
• Contamination concerns (NITROSAMINES)
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Ingredient score: 01
SODIUM PCA
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) antistatic, hair conditioning, humectant, skin conditioning, hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - humectant
CONCERNS • Use restrictions (low)
• Contamination concerns (NITROSAMINES)
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Ingredient score: 02
SODIUM LACTATE
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) buffering, humectant, keratolytic, buffering agent, exfoliant, skin-conditioning agent - humectant
CONCERNS • Cancer (low)
• Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low)
• Enhanced skin absorption
• Use restrictions (high)
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Ingredient score: 01
FRUCTOSE
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) humectant, flavoring agent, skin-conditioning agent - humectant
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Ingredient score: 01
GLUCOSE
Data Availability: Good
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FUNCTION(S) humectant, flavoring agent, skin-conditioning agent - humectant, skin-conditioning agent- miscellaneous
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Ingredient score: 01
SUCROSE
Data Availability: Robust
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FUNCTION(S) humectant, skin conditioning, soothing, flavoring agent
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Ingredient score: 01
UREA
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) antistatic, buffering, humectant, skin conditioning, buffering agent, skin-conditioning agent - humectant
CONCERNS • Cancer (low)
• Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low)
• Enhanced skin absorption
• Use restrictions (moderate)
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Ingredient score: 01
HEXYL NICOTINATE
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) antistatic, emollient, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
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Ingredient score: 01
DEXTRIN
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) absorbent, binding, bulking, viscosity controlling, binder, bulking agent, viscosity increasing agent - aqueous
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Ingredient score: 01
CITRIC ACID
Data Availability: Good
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FUNCTION(S) buffering, chelating, masking, chelating agent, fragrance ingredient, ph adjuster
CONCERNS • Use restrictions (moderate)
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Ingredient score: 01
POLYSORBATE-20
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) fragrance ingredient, surfactant - emulsifying agent, surfactant - solubilizing agent
CONCERNS • Allergies/immunotoxicity (low)
• Use restrictions (low)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
• Contamination concerns (ETHYLENE OXIDE and 1,4-DIOXANE)
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Ingredient score: 01
GELLAN GUM
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) film forming, viscosity controlling, emulsion stabilizer, viscosity increasing agent - aqueous
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Ingredient score: 01
TRISODIUM ETHYLENEDIAMINE DISUCCINATE
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) chelating, chelating agent
CONCERNS • Cancer (low)
• Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low)
• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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Ingredient score: 01
SODIUM CHLORIDE
Data Availability: Robust
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FUNCTION(S) flavoring agent, oral care agent, viscosity increasing agent - aqueous
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Ingredient score: 01
HEXYLENE GLYCOL
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) emulsifying, perfuming, skin conditioning, solvent, surfactant, fragrance ingredient, viscosity decreasing agent
CONCERNS • Allergies/immunotoxicity (low)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high)
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Ingredient score: 02
POTASSIUM SORBATE
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) preservative, fragrance ingredient
CONCERNS • Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate)
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Ingredient score: 01
SODIUM BENZOATE
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) anticorrosive, masking, preservative, fragrance ingredient
CONCERNS • Use restrictions (moderate)
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Ingredient score: 01
1,2-HEXANEDIOL
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) solvent
CONCERNS • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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Ingredient score: 01
CAPRYLYL GLYCOL
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) emollient, hair conditioning, humectant, skin conditioning, hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - emollient
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Ingredients from packaging:

Aqua (Water), Glycolic Acid, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Triethanolamine, Aminomethyl Propanol, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Aspartic Acid, Alanine, Glycine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Glutamic Acid, Arginine, Pca, Sodium Pca, Sodium Lactate, Fructose, Glucose, Sucrose, Urea, Hexyl Nicotinate, Dextrin, Citric Acid, Polysorbate 20, Gellan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Chloride, Hexylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol.

Directions from packaging:

Apply to face and neck, leave on

Product's animal testing policies

Some cosmetics companies have taken People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and Leaping Bunny animal-testing pledges. For consumers who are concerned about companies’ policies on animal testing, Skin Deep reports this information.


Unknown

Leading international certifiers PETA and Leaping Bunny have no information concerning this company’s use of animal testing.

Understanding scores

Cosmetics and personal care products are not required to be tested for safety before being allowed on the market. The Skin Deep® scoring system was designed to help the public understand whether a product is safe to use or whether it contains ingredients of concern.

Every product and ingredient in Skin Deep gets a two-part score – one for hazard and one for data availability. The safest products score well by both measures, with a low hazard rating and a fair or better data availability rating.


HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES

Hazard score

The Skin Deep ingredient hazard score, from 1 to 10, reflects known and suspected hazards linked to the ingredients. The EWG Verified® mark means a product meets EWG’s strictest criteria for transparency and health.

Score legend
WEIGHT-OF-EVIDENCE APPROACH

A product’s hazard score is not an average of the ingredients’ hazard scores. It is calculated using a weight-of-evidence approach that factors in all of the hazards or health impacts associated with the ingredients.

Data availability

The Skin Deep data availability rating reflects the number of scientific studies about the product or ingredient in the published scientific literature.

NONE LIMITED FAIR GOOD ROBUST
Low Availability
Moderate Availability
High Availability
NONE

Ingredients have not been assessed.

LIMITED-FAIR

There is only a modest volume of research.

GOOD-ROBUST

Ingredients have been studied extensively.

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