obagi Nu-Derm Exfoderm
obagi Obagi Nu-Derm Exfoderm lists 28 ingredients on its label, 25 decoded. See what each one does, its irritancy and comedogenic tendency, and its status in national inventories.
Ingredients overview
Label order. Colour is our internal rating: green routine, yellow restricted or worth a look, red prohibited or high-risk, grey not yet decoded.
Ingredients are listed in label order; the order reflects the label only, not exact concentrations.
- Water
- Ethoxydiglycol
- Glycerin
- Phytic Acid
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Glyceryl Stearate
- Peg-100 Stearate
- Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
- Canola Oil
- Isohexadecane
- Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
- Cetyl Alcohol
- Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
- Dimethicone
- Sodium Hydroxide
- Xanthan Gum
- Phenoxyethanol
- Glycereth-7
- Polysorbate 60
- Methylparaben
- Peg-150 Stearate
- Steareth-20
- Tocopheryl Acetate
- Saponins
- Ethylparaben
- Butylparaben
- Isobutylparaben
- Propylparaben
Highlights
Free of alcoholFree of sulfatesFree of essential oilsFree of formaldehyde releasersContains PEGContains mineral oilContains siliconesContains fragranceContains parabens
Key ingredients
- ANTIPLAQUE
- Water
- HUMECTANT
- Ethoxydiglycol
- DENATURANT
- Glycerin
- CHELATING
- Phytic Acid
- SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT
- Cetearyl AlcoholGlyceryl Stearate
- SURFACTANT - CLEANSING
- Peg-100 Stearate
- ABSORBENT
- Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Other ingredients
Canola OilIsohexadecanePotassium Cetyl PhosphateCetyl AlcoholBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2DimethiconeSodium HydroxideXanthan GumPhenoxyethanolGlycereth-7Polysorbate 60MethylparabenPeg-150 StearateSteareth-20Tocopheryl AcetateSaponinsEthylparabenButylparabenIsobutylparabenPropylparaben
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ANTIPLAQUE, SKIN CONDITIONING, SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Ethoxydiglycol | HUMECTANT, SOLVENT, PERFUMING · 限制 III/297 | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Glycerin | DENATURANT, HAIR CONDITIONING, HUMECTANT, ORAL CARE, SKIN PROTECTING, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, PERFUMING, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Phytic Acid | CHELATING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Cetearyl Alcohol | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, EMULSION STABILISING, SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, OPACIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Glyceryl Stearate | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Peg-100 Stearate | SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 0 · – | Green |
| Magnesium Aluminum Silicate | ABSORBENT, ANTICAKING, OPACIFYING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Canola Oil | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SKIN CONDITIONING | – · 0 | Green |
| Isohexadecane | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Potassium Cetyl Phosphate | SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | — | Green |
| Cetyl Alcohol | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, EMULSION STABILISING, SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, FRAGRANCE, OPACIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 1 · 1 | Green |
| Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2 | Not decoded yet | — | — |
| Dimethicone | ANTIFOAMING, SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SKIN CONDITIONING, SKIN PROTECTING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Hydroxide | BUFFERING, DENATURANT · 限制 III/15a | 3 · – | Green |
| Xanthan Gum | BINDING, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, EMULSION STABILISING, GEL FORMING, SKIN CONDITIONING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Phenoxyethanol | ANTIMICROBIAL, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/29 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Glycereth-7 | Not decoded yet | — | — |
| Polysorbate 60 | SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 1 · – | Green |
| Methylparaben | FRAGRANCE, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/12 | 0 · 0 | Yellow |
| Peg-150 Stearate | SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 1 · 0 | Green |
| Steareth-20 | Not decoded yet | — | — |
| Tocopheryl Acetate | ANTIOXIDANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Saponins | CLEANSING, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Ethylparaben | FRAGRANCE, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/12 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Butylparaben | FRAGRANCE, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/12a | 0 · 0 | Yellow |
| Isobutylparaben | ANTIMICROBIAL · 限制 II/1375 | 0 · 0 | Yellow |
| Propylparaben | PRESERVATIVE, PERFUMING · 限制 V/12 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
Ingredients explained
- Water
- Primary solvent and base; requires preservative system to prevent microbial growth
- Ethoxydiglycol
- Ethoxydiglycol; high-perf solv/humectant; low irrit, EU limit 20%, watch total PEG load
- Glycerin
- Workhorse humectant at 3–10%; tacky at high levels, pair with occlusives
- Phytic Acid
- Natural chelator for formula stability; acidic, may shift pH at high levels.
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Fatty alcohol emulsifier at 1-5%; non-ionic surfactant
- Glyceryl Stearate
- Emulsifier at 1-3%; may require acid to prevent saponification
- Peg-100 Stearate
- Non-ionic emulsifier, requires ionics for stability; check PEG for formaldehyde.
- Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
- Oil-absorbing powder at 5–20%; for pressed/powder makeup, high levels may feel heavy
- Canola Oil
- Low-erucic acid vegetable oil as emollient; check allergen labeling if applicable.
- Isohexadecane
- Lightweight mineral-oil-derived emollient and solvent; low viscosity, non-comedogenic, improves texture
- Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
- Cetyl phosphate potassium, O/W emulsifier; pH-sensitive, often requires buffering.
- Cetyl Alcohol
- Cetyl alcohol for emulsification/thickening; high concentration >10% may irritate.
- Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
- Not decoded yet
- Dimethicone
- Silicone occlusive at 1–5%; provides smooth feel, non-penetrating, suitable for sensitive skin
- Sodium Hydroxide
- Strong base neutralizer for pH adjustment; handle with extreme care
- Xanthan Gum
- Natural thickener at 0.1–1%; provides gel texture, pH-stable, requires full hydration
- Phenoxyethanol
- Broad-spectrum preservative at ≤1%; may irritate sensitive eye areas, often paired with ethylhexylglycerin
- Glycereth-7
- Not decoded yet
- Polysorbate 60
- Non-ionic emulsifier and solubilizer for O/W or W/O stability; may cause mild stinging on sensitive skin, typically 1-5%.
- Methylparaben
- Preservative, narrow spectrum; often combined, check allergen risk and regulatory limits.
- Peg-150 Stearate
- PEG stearate emulsifier/cleanser, 0.5-3% typical; water-soluble, incompatible with cationics, irritant at high conc
- Steareth-20
- Not decoded yet
- Tocopheryl Acetate
- Vitamin E derivative antioxidant at 0.1–1%; more stable than tocopherol, store protected from light
- Saponins
- Saponins, natural non-ionic surfactants providing mild foam; diverse botanical sources (e.g., soy, licorice) require allergen screening.
- Ethylparaben
- Paraben preservative; EU restricted, watch total load and sensitive skin reactions
- Butylparaben
- Butylparaben preservative; low concentrations; potential endocrine concerns, regulatory limits apply.
- Isobutylparaben
- Paraben preservative; used in combination, restricted usage
- Propylparaben
- Medium-chain preservative; restricted use, pH-sensitive efficacy.
Source: full ingredient list published on the product label, collected 2026-09-19. Ratings are our internal reading, not a regulatory conclusion. · Product page
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