Plum Goodness, a skincare brand that got all the Indian skincare addicts jumping with joy – and with good reason! A brand that looks to use natural ingredients, is cruelty free, vegan, free of all those nasty chemicals that supposedly give us cancer or can sensitize skin, and gives back to the environment from which it sources all its ingredients. Finally, a skincare brand right here from India, that has all the boxes checked for hopefully one day being an international brand.
Do I love the concept and vision of Plum Goodness as a company – Definitely!
But do I love their products…Well you’ll have to read on, to know IF and WHY I do or do not like the product we’re reviewing today - The Plum Goodness - Green Tea - Renewed Clarity Night Gel.
The night gel is from their popular Green Tea line, which also includes a cleanser, toner, serum, spot-treatment gel, moisturizer, revitalizing face mist, sunscreen and face mask. I have seen and heard several skincare enthusiasts recommending this product, and even considering this as a dupe for a popular international brand’s night gel – AND it’s good for combination skin.
So I did what I always do – went and bought it on a whim, and with that let’s jump into the review and understand what’s in it, what do the ingredients do, who is it actually best suited for, and also why I love the company.
Plum Goodness predominantly sells online through their own platform and also through their online and offline affiliates.
The product retails at INR 575 for 50 ml. I prefer buying through Nykaa, where the discounts are a-plenty, and I picked this product at a discounted price of INR 518 (Not a heavy discount, but every penny counts).
Plum Goodness – be good
Plum Goodness was founded in 2013 and are focused on creating products inspired by nature and what they term “good science”, with their products being good to your skin, to your senses and to the environment.
There is so much to absolutely LOVE about this brand and their values (which are focused on you – the customer, and the environment), here are some of the reasons I love plum -
PETA Certified cruelty free and 100% Vegan - There are many firms that say they are against animal cruelty, wherein they might not run a test, however, some affiliates from whom they procure their ingredients might be running tests on animals
They are completely free from Parabens, Propylene Glycol, SLS, DEA & PABA - basically covers almost everything you would NOT want in your skincare routine
They contribute at least 1% of their annual sales to environmental causes, and are a registered 1% for the Planet member
They do NOT manufacture or endorse fairness creams in any form or way. In a society where fairness is equated with beauty, here’s a home-grown brand that really understands that skin colour doesn’t define beauty, and they believe that respecting diversity and protecting natural skin (no matter the colour) is what goodness is about
Empties4Good - All Plum Goodness products use recyclable packaging. Empty products (plastic bottles, caps or jars) can be either sent back or picked up and will subsequently be sent for recycling. AND, for every empty product you send, you’ll get shopping credits worth INR 50
Blogs - There are a couple of short and long reads (depending on what you’d like) attempting to educate us – the buyers, encouraging us to read the ingredient lists, why the ingredients they avoid are bad for your skin, about skin types and skin conditions etc.
Another aspect I appreciate, is that their website allows you to choose a product either by looking for category (Skin/Hair/Body etc.), or concern (Acne / Dandruff/ Moisturization etc.) and skin type (Oily/Normal/Sensitive etc.), or even by the natural ingredient they focus on (Green Tea/Vitamin E/Olive etc.). As a consumer looking for products, they have made it extremely easy for us to navigate and choose products that are formulated specifically for a skin concern or a skin type
There is no question or doubt in my mind about how amazing this company is, and the fact that they are genuinely trying to develop products that work for the consumer. Additionally, the approach to help educate their customers pick products that suit them is commendable.
What's in my product?
Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Betain, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate / VP Copolymer, Argania Spinsosa (Argan) Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Glycolic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerine, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Salix Nigra (Willow) Bark Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Lycium Barbarum (Goji) Fruit Extract, Fragrance, CI 19140, CI 42090
When you glance at this list, it looks pretty good as it comes loaded with 7 natural ingredients. However, there are a few things that bother me a lot -
1. Phenoxyethanol:
I personally do not mind phenoxyethanol in my skincare products, and in my previous blogs I’ve marked it Orange, with the disclaimer that majority of people will not have any reaction to this – but it might cause irritation for a few.
Products are listed in descending order in an ingredient list, meaning highest weight in the formula to the lowest, with the exception of products under 1% - anything that falls below the 1% line can be ordered in any way as their quantities are most likely too small to make any significant difference.
Additionally, most countries have limited the amount of phenoxyethanol that can be included in cosmetics to 1%, and in reality, it forms a much lower composition.
Phenoxyethanol is the 6th ingredient on the list, which means one of two things - either it is in a percentage over the 1% line - which I pray it is not, as it can be toxic; OR phenoxyethanol is within the 1% line, which means all the wonderful products listed after it are in such low weights that they might hardly, if at all, give any benefit. Another possibility is that even though they are in a <1% composition they might be at higher concentration to be effective, for example, say a Glycolic Acid concentration of 10%, making only 0.5% of the composition of the product. In such cases, if the product is not formulated correctly, it can lead to irritation and sensitize the skin.
To reiterate, my issues isn’t with Phenoxyethanol, but where in the list it lies.
2. Dyes / Colorants:
The last 2 ingredients, CI 19140 and CI 42090 are basically Yellow and Blue dyes to give the product it’s green colour– making us believe in the green tea aspect of it. Dyes are not necessarily bad, however, the yellow dye also known as Tartrazine can have rare allergic reactions and cause itching and redness. This is precisely the reason why companies are required to specify the dyes used; in case someone does have allergic reactions to them. I personally do not have any issue with it – but I’d rather not have it included in my skincare as it does not help my skin in any way. Also, if I were to have a reaction to an ingredient in the product, I would not know what to attribute it to.
3. I am very confused with what’s happening with this product:
The product is from their Green Tea line, so the key active ingredient should be green tea, but Aloe Vera Leaf Juice (not the gel mind you) is like waaayy up there, and green tea falls under the 1% line. Green tea is proven to work mildly on acne prone skin at concentrations above 2% - so are you using the ingredients at higher concentrations, but in a low composition weight?
Then the packaging talks about the benefits of licorice and willow bark, and even goes on to highlight willow bark in the little section called “plumspeak”. And then there is ginkgo biloba leaf extract and goji berry fruit extract added in the fag end of the list. To me, it feels like when you’re in a mood to cook something fancy, and decide to add that awesome ingredient to enhance the flavor to an already decent recipe, but it’s not quite right, so you add something else that makes it even worse and the story goes on – that is literally what I think happened with this product!
4. Fragrances:
I don’t particularly mind fragrances – they are not beneficial for the skin, but they do give a sensorial experience to the user, and there have been times where I have enjoyed a fragrance in my skincare as well. This product has a very distinctive and strong fragrance that does not fade! If you are a ‘90s kid – remember when perfumes and musks started becoming popular, and there were those really strong perfumes for men that were horrible and you could smell a mile away – that’s what it smells like!
Now moving on to the ingredients I like, and all those in between – the ingredients highlighted in grey are predominantly delivery agents or carriers (help the goodies reach your skin in a controlled manner), thickeners to help create the gel like texture, and ingredients to help keep the moisture locked in and make the formula mild.
Though I’m unsure of how effective some of the ingredients might be, let us look to understand what the benefits / risks of some of the key actives in this product are –
1. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
The only other natural product after turmeric, that your mother, grandmother, aunt and grand aunt will tell you to use for literally almost every other problem, from pimples on the skin to reducing period cramps pain!
Is there any logic to it, and if so, what!?
How it works? Aloe vera is predominantly water, almost 99% water – the remaining 1% is what does all the magic. Aloe vera is known to contain several anti-inflammatory components such as, salicylates, polysaccharides, magnesium lactate, C-Glucosyl chromosome and sterol. Let’s understand how this is good for our skin :
Salicylates – These are the salt or ester of salicylic acid – the very popular BHA extensively used in skincare as an exfoliant and has proven time and again to help immensely with acne. The form present in aloe vera have the properties of being able to contain the reproduction of bacteria (bacteriostatic), fungicidal and skin peeling.
Polysaccharides – These are naturally occurring carbohydrates and contain forms of sugar in them. We find them naturally in our body in the form of starch for energy, glycogen to store glucose, and chitin in our cell walls providing structure. In plants they are also found in the plant cell walls as cellulose, a rich source of dietary fibre for us. These together have antioxidant properties and act as good water binding agent helping the skin feel hydrated and nourished when applied topically.
C-Glycosyl – Naturally occurring carbohydrate compounds that potentially have anti-inflammatory properties.
Sterols – Also known as steroid alcohol and a subgroup of steroids, occur naturally in plants and animals. Before we freak out about steroids and how bad it is, it’s good to understand that sterols are produced in our bodies – its best-known form is cholesterol. This is very important for the proper functioning of our bodies and even form a part of the skin structure to give it its plumpness we so crave for! When plant sterols (called phytosterols) are applied to the skin, they work to keep the structural integrity of the skin barrier, which helps in reducing inflammation, aid water retention and help protect the skin overall.
How safe is it? Aloe vera is safe to apply topically as well as ingest. However, over application of aloe vera could lead to drying out the face or excessive oiliness (depending on your skin type). This might happen as aloe vera has exfoliating properties, and too much of it could strip your skin of its natural oils.
A point to keep in mind about the formulation of the Plum Goodness night gel is that it includes the leaf juice and not the aloe vera gel. A blog available on their own website claims that the leaf juice and gel contain the same skin goodies.
2. Argania Spinsosa (Argan) Oil
Argan Oil or more popularly known as Moroccan Oil is derived from the kernels of the fruit from the argan tree, that is known to grow only in Morocco – hence the name. I cannot stop talking about how I absolutely LOVE this ingredient, especially in hair care – it transformed my hair! I have seen Moroccan Oil products across salons in town and is extremely popular. However, little known is that argan oil does have similar hydrating benefits when applied topically as well.
How it works? Argan Oil is said to be beneficial for dry and very dry skin types and hair as it is loaded with lipids and fatty acids such as Oleic Acid, Linoleic Acid and Palmitic Acid. It also contains a number of antioxidants, sterols as well as Vitamin E. Let us look at what argan oil contains, and how this is good for your skin:
Lipids / Fatty Acids – Argan oil contains several fatty acids that are beneficial for the skin. Among these are Oleic Acid (38-50%), Linoleic Acid (28-38%) and Palmitic Acid (10-18%) which constitute about 80% of the oil and helps in nourishing and moisturizing the skin. We have spoken about the benefits of Oleic Acid & Linoleic Acid in the previous blog, you can access it here.
Palmitic Acid is naturally found in the skin and is known to have many functions in cosmetics, from a cleansing agent (surfactant) to an emollient in moisturizers.
Antioxidants – Argan oil also consists of several antioxidants such as Vitamin E, Ferulic Acid, Caffeic Acid (a potent antioxidant) etc. (Read more about Vitamin E & Ferulic Acid here)
How safe is it? Argan Oil like any good thing is best used in prescribed amounts, overusing it could make the skin feel suffocated, and lead to breakouts and other issues, especially for those with oily skin types.
3. Glycolic Acid
Glycolic Acid, the first product I bought when I made my foray into AHAs and BHAs, is currently (and I am sure will continue to be till the end of time) my favourite ingredient. Glycolic Acid is an Alpha-Hydroxy Acid or AHA. AHAs are basically water binding agents, and when formulated properly act as an exfoliant. AHAs do occur naturally, however, they are predominantly derived synthetically in most cosmetic formulations.
How it works?
Glycolic Acid like most other AHAs is a chemical exfoliant, meaning the acid gets into the layers of your skin and loosen out the dead skin cells. This makes the new skin visible and will help the other actives in your skincare routine work effectively.
Wrinkles are generally more visible when the layer of dead skin on top is thick. Application of an AHA will help get that top layer of dead skin off, visibly softening the signs of aging and reducing hyper-pigmentation, particularly caused by sun damage.
Glycolic Acid has been proven to increase the synthesis of collagen, which would help the overall look and feel of the skin.
Glycolic Acid is also known to increase the thickness of skin, helping the growth of new skin that results in a fresher and younger looking complexion
How safe is it? Glycolic Acid is a strong exfoliant and should be used carefully. When a product lists Glycolic Acid as an ingredient, especially if it is somewhere on top, you need to understand the concentration it has been used in. Another key aspect is following the instructions, whether to use the product daily (once or twice a day), weekly etc. At concentrations of 4-10%, glycolic acid is mild and can be used daily, at concentrations of 10-20% it should not be used more than once or twice a week, and anything above 20% you shouldn’t even being using at home – it forms a part of chemical peels prescribed and done ONLY BY DERMATOLOGISTS!
If your skin is very sensitive, it is best to avoid AHAs in general including Glycolic Acid and opt for milder and gentler BHAs or PHAs.
Please always be sure to slather your face with sunscreen if you’re using any form of an AHA or BHA. These are strong exfoliants, and the new skin would be directly exposed to the UVA & UVB rays. You need to be using a sunscreen irrespective of Glycolic Acid to begin with – but do NOT MISS this step under any circumstance when using AHAs and BHAs.
Please Note: If you like layering products, you’d need to be careful what products you are using with, before or after glycolic acid. It is best to avoid Vitamin C with Glycolic Acid – they won’t necessarily cause any reaction – but these work at different pH levels, and the two could counter the other rendering both ineffective. If you’re ever in doubt about pairing, spend the few seconds it takes to run a small Google search – When in doubt, always ask!
4. Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract
Green Tea has a number of accolades under its belt and is one of the most researched natural ingredients. I LOVE my green tea, drink bottles of it, save the leaves adding them in my bathwater, making a paste for face masks – if there are more ways to incorporate it, trust me, I would! Green tea on an ingredient list almost always equates to its presence on my dressing table. So let us understand what makes Green Tea such a wonderful ingredient.
How it works?
Green tea is the source of many catechins, which are potent natural antioxidants that can help prevent cell damage. The most common and powerful catechin is EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate), which can reduce the formation of free radicals in the body, protecting cells from damage.
EGCG along with three other forms of catechin together reduce the formation of free radicals and work wonders as an anti-aging agent.
Studies have shown that green tea reduces UV caused skin irritation and reddening and decreases the number of sunburn cells.
Green tea has the potential to inhibit DNA damage and even activate some enzymes that help with DNA repair
Green tea has also shown promising anti-microbial properties and is good for acne-prone skin. A 2% green tea lotion has been proven to be effective to treat mild-to-moderate acne.
How safe is it? Green Tea is very safe, especially when used topically. Excessive consumption could cause heartburn and acidity but shouldn’t ideally cause any irritation to the skin. However, some people do have slight reactions to Green Tea, and before using any green tea product, it is better to do a patch test.
5. Salix Nigra (Willow) Bark Extract
The willow bark, called nature’s aspirin, is considered to act as a natural exfoliant and clarify the skin. According to the plumspeak section on the packaging “Willow bark, used in this gel, is one of the oldest herbs known. Its first use dates back to 400 BC, as an anti-inflammatory chewie!” While this statement might be true, that actually means next to nothing for your skin!
How it works? Willow bark contains a compound called Salicin, which when consumed orally reacts with the digestive enzymes to result in salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is proven to have anti-inflammatory properties, works to help reduce acne and could even be said to act like a painkiller.
However, none of this applies when you’re applying Salicin to your face, unless those specific enzymes and acidic conditions are made available.
I would choose to stay away from this ingredient in all honesty, unless it’s added to support the formulation or fragrance a product.
How safe is it? Willow bark might have some allergic reactions, mostly to those who have an allergic reaction to aspirin. Also, consuming willow bark (and salicylic acid) should be avoided by pregnant and breast- feeding women. There aren’t enough studies to infer if it would interfere or affect a pregnancy if applied topically, and is generally considered okay.
Others
Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract - Licorice extract is known to be one of the safest natural lightening agents with the fewest side effects. Some studies have even suggested it to be more effective than hydroquinone which is considered as the best skin lightening agent. Licorice extract also has potent anti-inflammatory agents (Glycyrrhiza), and Glabridin which has proven to inhibit UVB created pigmentation. It is considered to be safe for sensitive and reddened skin.
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract - Potent plant-derived antioxidant and soothing ingredient derived from the ginkgo plant. Limited studies on the ingredient.
Lycium Barbarum (Goji) Fruit Extract - It acts as skin softening agent
My thoughts on the product
As usual, let us break it down to packaging, touch & fell, how-to-use and changes (if any) I have noticed in the time frame I have been using the product.
1. Packaging:
The outer packaging is a sturdy cardboard
box in the colours of the product line, in this case, white and green. The packaging mentions who it is best suited for, a small little paragraph giving some information on what is good in the product, how to use the product, and the “plumspeak” I have mentioned over and over again. Inside the box is this cute little note from “your skin” telling you to put the product on and forget about the rest and get some sleep (since it’s a night gel) – Full marks for engagement!
The product comes in a slightly frosted but solid glass jar with a plastic cap. It doesn’t stand out per say, and I’d like it if the jar came with the how-to-use on it. If you’re someone like me who tends to throw away the packaging on opening the product, you’ll be in a stitch if you want to cross check something – usually it’s how to use the product correctly or any warnings.
Also, as it is a jar, some people might have issues with having to dip your finger into the product multiple times. Personally, I do not have any issues with this.
2. Touch & Feel
The night gel is a lightweight product, and
spreads beautifully. Following the instructions mentioned, a small amount of the product is enough to cover the entire face and neck.
The product is light green in colour, but not a nice green tea green or even a nice green. If they’re using dyes, might as well have been a nice colour, it’s a very dull green!
I have already spoken about the fragrance, and how overpowering it is. I kept the jar open for 5 – 10 mins next to me as I was writing this blog, and I soon ended with a migraine.
The product absorbs extremely well into the skin, and there’s this refreshing feeling, similar to when you apply aloe vera gel. However, for a night gel, I feel it is quite light, especially if I am not applying a toner or serum underneath it. Might be okay during extremely hot or humid weathers, but even then, I doubt this would keep my skin hydrated through the night.
3. How-to-Use
The general rule of thumb while using any skincare products is to go from thinnest to thickest in terms of consistency
The packaging mentions, “Best used as a bed-time hydrator and antioxidant nourishing gel for oily skin. Pat dry freshly washed face, and dot your face with gel. Five dots in all – two on on cheeks, one each on nose, forehead & chin. Gently massage in with fingertips, directed upwards-outwards. Sweet dreams! Wake up to clear refreshed skin each day.”
I would just want to say, add a dot for your neck as well, always apply the same products that you apply on your face to your neck as well. It is recommended to go all the way to your décolletage, but let us get till the neck first.
4. On using it for over a month
I have normal to combination skin (oily T-Zone), my skin doesn't breakout very often, but I do get very painful deep-seated pimples during my time of the month. My skin concerns are mostly unevenness of skin tone, dark spots/moles on my face - I lost count of how many of those I have, whiteheads on the nose, appearance of fine lines on my forehead and around my eyes, and a small degree of sensitivity.
This product is one of the worst things I have ever spent my money on!
I was genuinely excited about this product and was waiting for it to be delivered to my doorstep. When it arrived, I was like a little girl waiting to unwrap her present. And as I did – my head did a little flip as the fragrance absolutely overpowered every other sense of mine!
I thought Okay, they like using fragrances, but I’m sure it’s a great product. On using it for the first time, my face started to tingle but it subsided in a few minutes. As I was using a glycolic acid toner and a hyaluronic acid serum underneath, I thought maybe it’s reacting with the night gel – and I cut out those two wonderful products from my night routine. However, it continued to tingle, and as the days went by, even though I was not using any other skincare products in my night routine, the intensity of the tingling sensation started gradually increasing. Then I tried changing my night cleanser, thinking even if it’s a rinse off product, it might be reacting – but the tingling continued. I tried pairing it with a thicker cream-based night cream underneath, that to me felt like it could act as a barrier to anything – and yet no change.
Till one day it literally felt like my face was burning! I stopped then – went back to my normal routine and happier skin. Since then I have tried it a few times just to see if my skin was just sensitive and reacting back then, but it still continues to tingle.
While writing this blog, I just checked to see if maybe it doesn’t react (and my skin is doing really good right now), and it didn’t burn – but after about an hour or so, I had tiny little bumps on my skin instead! I cannot put into words how disappointed I am about this product, and I honestly don’t know what to do with this.
Final Thoughts
I think it is very clear that I would not be buying this product, or even try to use the remaining product, and I definitely would not recommend this to anyone. I have even refrained from purchasing any other products from plum because my experience was so bad.
This product is targeted for acne prone skin types, which could be oily, dry or even sensitive skin – and a product like this could cause so many issues especially for those with sensitive skin.
The issue with this product is that so many ingredients could have caused a reaction - could have been the willow bark or the dyes, maybe the licorice or goji berry extracts. It might be that they have used a higher concentration of phenoxyethanol, or maybe used high concentrates of the other products. In all honesty, It's impossible to single out that one ingredient that might have caused it.
Overall Rating: 1.5 / 5
I do still believe in the brand despite how much I hate the product. I see that there are quite a few positive reviews on Nykaa, however, there are equal, if not more, 1-star reviews stating that it burned or even caused their skin to breakout. I have also seen that their other products, even within the same line have gotten very good reviews – it could be that they just messed up this one product!
This is a definite miss for me on all parameters!
Disclaimer: I am not a dermatologist. The product review is my personal opinion on the product, and what I understand from articles available online. The description on ingredients has been sourced from websites that specifically look to provide information on commonly used ingredients in skincare and make-up. If I have mentioned anything incorrectly or wrong, please do reach out to me, and we can update the same.
Wherever I have mentioned a specific fact or figure, these have been sourced either from Paula’s Choice Ingredient Dictionary or INCI Decoder, and Journal sources listed on these websites. I neither take credit for this information, nor can I guarantee the accuracy of these facts and figures and do not take responsibility for the same.
My main aim is to help people understand the various ingredients in their skincare and how those ingredients work, to help make intelligent purchase decisions with regards to skincare.
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