Obagi c balancing toner
Obagi obagi c balancing toner lists 16 ingredients on its label, 16 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.
Highlights
Free of parabensFree of siliconesFree of sulfatesFree of mineral oilFree of essential oilsContains formaldehyde releasersContains alcoholContains fragrance
Formulation view Lotion containing ectoin, panthenol, and witch hazel. Preserved with phenoxyethanol and benzalkonium chloride. Suited for oil control and secondary cleansing. Factory observation: Alcohol-based systems evaporate quickly; balance is needed between feel and hydration, ensuring broad-spectrum microbial efficacy with multi-preservative systems.
Key ingredients
- SOLVENT
- Aqua
- HUMECTANT
- Propylene Glycol
- ASTRINGENT
- Hamamelis Virginiana Water
- ANTIMICROBIAL
- Phenoxyethanol
- ANTISTATIC
- Sodium PCAPanthenolPolyquaternium-10
- SKIN CONDITIONING
- Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Other ingredients
Benzalkonium ChlorideEthylhexylglycerinAlcoholBenzoic AcidCitric AcidSodium AcetateSodium ChlorideIsopropyl Alcohol
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aqua | SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Propylene Glycol | HUMECTANT, FRAGRANCE, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING - MISCELLANEOUS | 1 · 0 | Green |
| Hamamelis Virginiana Water | ASTRINGENT, HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING, SOOTHING | — | Green |
| Phenoxyethanol | ANTIMICROBIAL, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/29 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Sodium PCA | ANTISTATIC, HAIR CONDITIONING, HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | – · 0 | Green |
| Panthenol | ANTISTATIC, HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Polyquaternium-10 | ANTISTATIC, FILM FORMING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder | SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Benzalkonium Chloride | ANTIMICROBIAL, ANTISTATIC, DEODORANT, PRESERVATIVE, SURFACTANT - DISPERSING · 限制 V/54 III/65 | 2 · 0 | Yellow |
| Ethylhexylglycerin | DEODORANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Alcohol | ANTIFOAMING, ANTIMICROBIAL, ASTRINGENT, FRAGRANCE, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Benzoic Acid | FRAGRANCE, PRESERVATIVE, pH ADJUSTERS · 限制 V/1 | 1 · – | Green |
| Citric Acid | BUFFERING, CHELATING, FRAGRANCE | 1 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Acetate | BUFFERING, FRAGRANCE | 0 · – | Green |
| Sodium Chloride | BULKING, FRAGRANCE, ORAL CARE, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Isopropyl Alcohol | ANTIFOAMING, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, PERFUMING | 3 · 0 | Green |
Ingredients explained
- Aqua
- Solvent, main base; microbial control is critical
- Propylene Glycol
- Polyol humectant at 3-10%; hygroscopic, slight tackiness, mild irritation at high conc., verify preservative efficacy, no allergen.
- Hamamelis Virginiana Water
- Hamamelis water; tannins/flavonoids for astringent and soothing; low conc, generally well-tolerated
- Phenoxyethanol
- Broad-spectrum preservative at ≤1%; may irritate sensitive eye areas, often paired with ethylhexylglycerin
- Sodium PCA
- Sodium PCA, NMF component, 1-10% humectant; salty/tacky at high levels.
- Panthenol
- Panthenol (vitamin B5) at 1–5%; moisturizing and reparative, supports barrier recovery
- Polyquaternium-10
- Cationic polymer for fabric or hair smoothness; generally low irritation but may conflict with other cationic actives
- Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
- Aloe extract powder for soothing/moisturizing; low solubility, needs dispersion
- Benzalkonium Chloride
- Cationic preservative/disinfectant. Restricted in EU to 0.1% (0.6% ocular). Irritant; incompatible with anionic surfactants.
- Ethylhexylglycerin
- Mild conditioner and preservative booster at 0.5–1%; reduces preservative load, smooth feel
- Alcohol
- Ethanol for solubility/drying at 5-15%; high conc. is drying/irritating, avoid lip/eye, low residue, balance with humectants.
- Benzoic Acid
- Preservative and pH adjuster at 0.1–0.5%; low water solubility, best in acidic media, irritant at high levels.
- Citric Acid
- Buffer and chelator at 0.1–2%; adjusts pH, may irritate sensitive skin at low pH
- Sodium Acetate
- Sodium acetate buffer for pH adjustment; sometimes acts as mild fragrance, common in lotions and washes
- Sodium Chloride
- Salt for gel viscosity control; used as precipitant in soaps
- Isopropyl Alcohol
- Alcohol solvent at 1–10%; fast-evaporating, high levels may cause dryness/irritation
Source: full ingredient list published on the product label, collected 2026-09-17. Ratings are our internal reading, not a regulatory conclusion. · Product page
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