Our philosophy on exfoliating with Gulabi comes down to this: exfoliate gently and regularly, while listening to your skin.

There are plenty of reasons behind this philosophy (including our personal journeys, one of which you can read about here). The biggest reason, though, is that protecting our skin barriers while exfoliating is a priority. A functional epidermal barrier is correlated with healthy skin and better managed skin concerns.* 

So when we at Sift set out to develop our exfoliating mask, we kept gentle care and skin-listening top of mind. For us, a product that “works” does not need to be a harsh one. Our skin does not need to immediately peel afterwards to show that it’s working. A product’s efficacy is not solely based on, say, a percentage of an acid, but rather the formula as a whole AND how it will be used.

In developing our formula, we worked with a team of seasoned chemists, including those who had also grown up following Ayurvedic principles. With their expertise, we formulated a mask that incorporated the best of a family recipe, and that solved its pain points too. We spent years understanding its efficacy, using high active percentages and then pulling those percentages back, reviewing before and afters, testing iteration after iteration, and most importantly, encouraging all testers to listen to their skin along the way. In testing, we made sure to consider different skin types and tones through each process. The gentleness behind the formula (that suits our own dry, deep, prone-to-hyperpigmentation skin) was important in making this mask friendly to many more shades and skin types.

Ultimately, the formula needed to meet our highest bar for being effective, safe, and gentle while holding true to what made that original recipe so incredible.

• We tested out different bases of the formula; instead of choosing a purely clay base (which can be harsh for some skin types), we added in a cream base to make a uniquely cream-meets-clay one. We chose one of the gentlest clay types rich in Ayurvedic history.
• We experimented with various physical exfoliants, and instead of using a nut, seed or dried bean (for harshness and microbial reasons), we chose a powdered rose petal – fun fact, we tested rose petal granule sizes with differences so slight that many would not notice the difference.
• We created multiple samples to review the concentration of lactic acid, and found that our original concentration goal was not playing well with the other exfoliators, especially considering pH levels. We landed on a concentration below 3% and with a pH level of ~3.6.
• We added powerful humectants and emollients like glycerin, rosehip oil and squalane to create a soothing experience along with the exfoliating. And altogether, the formula is the perfect combination of gentle and something we can use regularly.

Now for some, an ideal exfoliator might look different. Perhaps your skin tolerates a higher percentage of lactic acid. Maybe you want something all clay, or your skin feels great with glycolic acids. Maybe you prefer deeper mask treatments less often. That’s okay! Those kinds of products exist, and we celebrate you listening to your skin.

And for those curious, or whose skin, like ours, already crave gentle, regular, effective care, we’ve got you. With the learnings from our family and cultures and the experts behind Sift, we are so excited to join you on your exfoliation journey.