On the hunt for a full Palmers Fade Cream review? Join the club. Thanks to its easy accessibility and very affordable price tag, Palmers Fade Cream is one of the most common skin lightening creams around. And if you’re looking for a reasonably priced product to fade your dark spots and freckles, Palmers Fade Cream could sound like what you need at first, but a dive into what’s inside may make you think twice.
What’s Inside Palmers Fade Cream
When it comes to the ingredients in Palmers Fade Cream, there are some real pros and cons. First of all, we like that the product contains sunscreen. If you’re using any skin lightening product, you have to remember to use products with a high SPF to protect your now-sensitive-to-sun skin. Palmers Fade Cream gets you one step closer by already adding sunscreen to its formulation, but it would still be wise to use additional sunblock to give your skin the protection it really needs.
While sunscreen may be a welcome addition, here’s one ingredient that’s definitely not. Yup, Palmers Fade Cream contains mineral oil, and that’s something we unfortunately don’t like. Mineral oil is known to be comedogenic, which means it will clog your pores. If you’re prone to acne breakouts, you may not want to risk using Palmers Fade Cream.
This, by the way, is often the downside of cheaper skin lightening creams like Caro White Cream, for example. It may be cheap but it comes with not-so-friendly ingredients for the skin.
On the pro side, an ingredient in Palmers Fade Cream is uva ursi leaf extract, aka bearberry extract. The ingredient is known as a natural skin lightener, and we like the fact that it can even skin tone and reduce dark spots.
A controversial ingredient that is both a pro and a con is hydroquinone. This ingredient is very effective at lightening skin, and while the FDA deems it safe, hydroquinone can come with some harsh side effects for those with very sensitive skin.
Hydroquinone is known to cause skin irritation, dryness, and redness. It is an effective ingredient since it slows melanin production, but that comes at a cost for some. The ingredient may also be linked to causing cancer, although studies are still being conducted to conclusively say if hydroquinone is a carcinogen. Palmers Fade Cream contains other effective ingredients, though, so it isn’t solely relying on hydroquinone.
To add more to the pro list, the product also contains retinol, which promotes skin cell turnover and allows hydroquinone to absorb into the skin better. Among Palmers Fade Cream’s natural ingredients are lemon and orange fruit extract, which contain vitamin C, a natural skin lightener. Palmers Fade Cream does contain a lot of other ingredients, so if you’re looking for a simple and purely natural product, this may not be for you.
Unfortunately, Palmers Fade Cream didn’t stop at the natural ingredients. We aren’t a big fan of the inclusion of sulfates, parabens, and fragrance. Sulfates can irritate the skin, and while parabens in very small doses aren’t likely to be harmful, there is controversy surrounding their potential to be carcinogens (the FDA does deem them safe, though).
As for the fragrance, it’s a somewhat unnecessary ingredient that can irritate the skin. Even if you don’t see physical irritation from products with added fragrance, it can still be lurking beneath the surface of your skin. Overall, it’s best to get products that are free of fragrance, sulfates, and parabens just to be safe.
Palmers Fade Cream Review
Taking the variety of ingredients in Palmers Fade Cream into consideration, we aren’t a big fan of the extras it contains. The fact that it can clog your pores and irritate sensitive skin also makes us concerned. But let’s say you don’t have sensitive skin, you aren’t prone to breakouts, and you aren’t worried about using products that contain fragrance, parabens, or sulfates.
While this product is a good deal for your money, you may find that leads to a compromise in quality. The texture of Palmers Fade Cream is quite thick so you may have trouble spreading it over your skin. You may also find it does not absorb easily into the skin because of its texture. The smell can also be a little strong, especially if you’re using the product on your face.
Still, because of this product’s active and natural ingredients, you may see results. If you have an overall lighter skin tone, you may find this product will work best for you. We still aren’t a fan of the extra ingredients or the texture, but if your skin isn’t very sensitive and you are on a budget, you may want to dig a little deeper into Palmers Fade Cream.
If you’re willing to give Palmers Fade Cream a chance, you can get a two pack of 2.7 oz bottles for around $16 on Amazon here.
Palmers Fade Cream Ingredients
Active Ingredients:Hydroquinone 2.0%, Octisalate 3.0%. Inactive Ingredients: Water, Glyceryl Stearate, Mineral Oil (Paraffinum Liquidum), Propylene Glycol, Stearyl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-75 Lanolin, PEG-100 Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Dimethicone, Isopropyl Myristate, Retinol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Arctostaphylos UVA URSI Leaf Extract, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract, Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Citric Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Sulfite, Sodium Metabisulfite, Xanthan Gum, Imadazolidinyl Urea, Disodium EDTA, Canola Oil Glycerides, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil, BHT, TBHQ, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Fragrance, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Limonene, Alpha- Isomethyl Ionone
