Urban Skin Rx is a brand focused on “inclusive skincare” that improves skin quality regardless of shade. The company is founded by a licensed aesthetician, and some of their products have won awards from health publishers like AskMen and Allure.
But does Urban Skin Rx use research-backed ingredients for improving skin? Does the brand use any unhealthy ingredients? And is Urban Skin Rx better or worse than inclusive beauty brands like NARS Cosmetics?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in two of Urban Skin Rx’s most popular products (Even Tone Cleansing Bar and Retinol Rapid Repair), to give our take on whether or not they're effectively formulated.
We'll also compare Urban Skin Rx to other popular inclusive beauty brands, in terms of formulation quality, to pick our winners (and losers).
Key takeaways:
- Even Tone Cleansing Bar has research-backed active ingredients
- We currently recommend Even Tone Cleansing Bar
- We do not currently recommend Retinol serum due to preservative combo
Even Tone Cleansing Bar Review
The ingredients in Urban Skin Rx Even Tone Cleansing Bar are shown below:
This formulation contains a number of research-backed ingredients, not only for enhancing skin quality but also for providing an anti-aging effect.
Kojic acid was described in a 2010 medical review to have the capacity to “reduce signs of aging.”
Camellia sinensis leaf extract was found to protect skin cells from sun damage in a clinical trial published in the Photochemistry and Photobiology journal.
Witch hazel is a botanical ingredient that has an anti-inflammatory effect when applied to skin, as documented in a 2011 clinical trial.
Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 that’s frequently used in cosmetic formulations, and has a naturally hydrating effect, as we documented in our review of Skinbetter Science.
Glutathione is primarily a skin-lightening agent, although it can also increase skin elasticity according to a medical review published in the Dermatology Research and Practice journal.
The best part about Even Tone Cleansing Bar is that it’s entirely free of unhealthy ingredients like fragrance and harsh preservatives, which is uncommon for cosmetic products we've reviewed to date on Illuminate Health.
We currently recommend Urban Skin Rx Even Tone Cleansing Bar.
Retinol Rapid Repair Review
The ingredients in Urban Skin Rx Retinol Rapid Repair & Dark Spot Treatment are shown below:
This formulation contains many of the same effective active ingredients that we analyzed in the previous Ingredient Analysis section and believe to be effective, including niacinamide, kojic acid and glutathione.
Retinol is the core active ingredient, and this form of vitamin A is very well studied for dermatologic benefits.
Retinol is clinically shown to have significant anti-aging effects and a favorable safety profile, as we documented in our Meaningful Beauty reviews article.
Malva sylvestris flower/leaf/stem extract is another active ingredient unique to this formulation that was shown to have anti-inflammatory effects on skin in a clinical trial published in the Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy journal.
There are two inactive ingredients in this formulation that we consider to be unhealthy when used in combination.
Phenoxyethanol is a synthetic preservative shown in a 2020 clinical trial to be toxic to human cells.
Ethylhexylglycerin is a synthetic preservative shown to potentiate the toxic effects of phenoxyethanol in a 2016 medical review.
Overall, we consider Urban Skin Rx Retinol Rapid Repair & Dark Spot Treatment likely to have an anti-aging effect and potentially treat dark spots.
We do not currently recommend this product due to the preservative combination highlighted above.
Urban Skin Rx vs. Popular Inclusive Beauty
Here's how Urban Skin Rx compares to other popular inclusive beauty brands in terms of formulation quality, in our opinion:
NARS Cosmetics
This inclusive beauty brand's popular tinted moisturizer contains BHT, which was described in a clinical review as "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen."
Urban Skin Rx wins from a health standpoint.
Winner: Urban Skin Rx
Spoiled Child
Formulations sold by this brand contain many ingredients we consider unhealthy, including phosphoric acid, a synthetic preservative combination, and artificial flavors, as we documented in our Spoiled Child review article.
Urban Skin Rx is the healthier choice.
Winner: Urban Skin Rx
Fenty Beauty
Many formulations we analyzed contained fragrance, which is likely harmful to human health when used in cosmetics.
Winner: Urban Skin Rx
Our Clean Skincare Pick
MindBodyGreen Best Skin+ is our top anti-aging skin supplement.
It contains orange extract which is clinically shown to increase skin moisturization, skin elasticity and skin radiance.
This supplement also contains astaxanthin which is clinically shown to cause "wrinkle formation reduction."
This supplement is free of ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
Urban Skin Rx Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Highly effective formulations
- Many active ingredients with research-backing
- Minimal questionable additives
- Affordable given potency
- Healthier than competitors
Cons:
- Retinol cream contains synthetic preservative
- Doesn’t appear clinically tested
