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

Data Availability:

Limited

Hero Cosmetics Lightning Swipe Dark Spot Brightening Pads

Hero Cosmetics Lightning Swipe Dark Spot Brightening Pads

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CATEGORY

Skin Fading/Lightener

BRAND

Hero Cosmetics

DATA LAST UPDATED

February 2022

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
Appeared as: WATER/AQUA/EAU
Data Availability: Robust
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FUNCTION(S) solvent
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Ingredient score: 01
BUTYLENE GLYCOL
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) fragrance ingredient, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, solvent, viscositydecreasing agent, humectant, masking, skin conditioning, viscosity controlling
CONCERNS • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (moderate)
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Ingredient score: 02
PROPANEDIOL
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) solvent, viscosity decreasing agent, viscosity controlling
CONCERNS • Cancer (low)
• Enhanced skin absorption
• Endocrine disruption (low)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high)
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Ingredient score: 02
GLYCERIN
Data Availability: Good
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FUNCTION(S) denaturant, fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, humectant, oral care agent;oral health care drug, skin-conditioning agent - humectant, skin protectant, viscosity decreasing agent, perfuming, solvent
CONCERNS • Use restrictions (moderate)
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Ingredient score: 01
NIACINAMIDE
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, smoothing
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Ingredient score: 02
TROMETHAMINE
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) fragrance ingredient, ph adjuster, buffering, masking
CONCERNS • Use restrictions (moderate)
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Ingredient score: 01
BENZYL GLYCOL
Data Availability: None
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FUNCTION(S) solvent
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Ingredient score: 04
GLYCOLIC ACID
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) exfoliant, ph adjuster, buffering
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
ALLANTOIN
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, skin protectant, skin conditioning, skin protecting, soothing
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Ingredient score: 01
BETAINE
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) hair conditioning agent, humectant, skin-conditioning agent - humectant, antistatic, hair conditioning, skin conditioning, viscosity controlling
CONCERNS • Multiple, additive exposure sources (low)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 01
TRANEXAMIC ACID
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) cosmetic astringent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, astringent, skin conditioning
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Ingredient score: 01
XANTHAN GUM
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) binder, emulsion stabilizer, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, surfactant -emulsifying agent, viscosity increasing agent - aqueous, binding, emulsifying, emulsion stabilising, gel forming, skin conditioning, surfactant, viscosity controlling
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Ingredient score: 01
1,2-HEXANEDIOL
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) solvent
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Ingredient score: 01
CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) hair conditioning agent, antistatic, hair conditioning
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Ingredient score: 01
CAPRYLYL GLYCOL
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - emollient, emollient, hair conditioning, humectant, skin conditioning
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Ingredient score: 02
ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) deodorant agent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, skin conditioning
CONCERNS • Allergies/immunotoxicity (low)
• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate)
• Ecotoxicology (low)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high)
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Ingredient score: 01
SODIUM ASCORBYL PHOSPHATE
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) antioxidant
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Ingredient score: 01
HOUTTUYNIA CORDATA (TSI) EXTRACT
Appeared as: HOUTTUYNIA CORDATA EXTRACT
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) not reported, skin conditioning
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Ingredient score: 01
PYRIDOXINE HCL
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, antistatic, hair conditioning, skin conditioning
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Ingredient score: 04
CAMELLIA SINENSIS (GREEN TEA) LEAF EXTRACT
Appeared as: CAMELLIA SINENSIS LEAF EXTRACT
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) antioxidant, fragrance ingredient, oral care agent, skin-conditioning agent -miscellaneous, ultraviolet light absorber, antimicrobial, astringent, emollient, humectant, masking, oral care, skin conditioning, skin protecting, tonic, uv absorber
CONCERNS • Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate)
• Use restrictions (moderate)
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Ingredient score: 01
ALOE BARBADENSIS (ALOE VERA) LEAF JUICE
Appeared as: ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF JUICE
Data Availability: Limited
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CONCERNS • Cancer (moderate)
• Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low)
• Use restrictions (low)
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Ingredient score: 01
LYCIUM BARBARUM (MATRIMONY VINE) FRUIT EXTRACT
Appeared as: LYCIUM BARBARUM FRUIT EXTRACT
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) astringent, hair conditioning, skin conditioning
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Ingredient score: 01
SACCHAROMYCES FERMENT FILTRATE
Data Availability: None
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FUNCTION(S) skin-conditioning agent - humectant, humectant
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Ingredient score: 03
ILLICIUM VERUM (ANISE) FRUIT EXTRACT
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
CONCERNS • Allergies/immunotoxicity (high)
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Ingredient score: 01
HYDROXYACETOPHENONE
Data Availability: Limited
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CONCERNS • Allergies/immunotoxicity (low)
• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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Ingredient score: 02
CITRIC ACID
Data Availability: Good
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FUNCTION(S) chelating agent, fragrance ingredient, ph adjuster, buffering, chelating, masking
CONCERNS • Use restrictions (moderate)
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Ingredient score: 04
MALIC ACID
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) fragrance ingredient, ph adjuster, buffering
CONCERNS • Use restrictions (high)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (moderate)
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Ingredient score: 01
TARTARIC ACID
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) fragrance ingredient, ph adjuster, buffering, masking
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Ingredient score: 04
LACTIC ACID
Data Availability: Good
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FUNCTION(S) exfoliant, fragrance ingredient, humectant, ph adjuster, skin-conditioning agent -humectant, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, buffering, skin conditioning
CONCERNS • Cancer (low)
• Enhanced skin absorption
• Use restrictions (high)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

Ingredients from packaging:

WATER/AQUA/EAU, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, PROPANEDIOL, GLYCERIN, NIACINAMIDE, TROMETHAMINE, BENZYL GLYCOL, GLYCOLIC ACID, ALLANTOIN, BETAINE, TRANEXAMIC ACID, XANTHAN GUM, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, SODIUM ASCORBYL PHOSPHATE, HOUTTUYNIA CORDATA EXTRACT, PYRIDOXINE HCL, CAMELLIA SINENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF JUICE, LYCIUM BARBARUM FRUIT EXTRACT, SACCHAROMYCES FERMENT FILTRATE, ILLICIUM VERUM (ANISE) FRUIT EXTRACT, HYDROXYACETOPHENONE, CITRIC ACID, MALIC ACID, TARTARIC ACID, LACTIC ACID.

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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