nivea Refreshing Cleansing Gel
nivea Nivea Refreshing Cleansing Gel lists 22 ingredients on its label, 21 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
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- Sodium Myreth Sulfate
- Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
- Glycerin
- Glyceryl Glucoside
- Tocopheryl Acetate
- Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract
- Panthenol
- Lauryl Glucoside
- Sodium Chloride
- PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
- PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate
- Polyquaternium-10
- Benzophenone-4
- Propylene Glycol
- Phenoxyethanol
- Methylparaben
- Ethylparaben
- Fragrance
- Ci 42090
- Ci 16035
Highlights
Free of alcoholFree of siliconesFree of essential oilsFree of formaldehyde releasersContains sulfatesContains mineral oilContains PEGContains fragranceContains parabensContains EU-26 allergens
Formulation view A sulfate-blend cleansing gel with sodium myreth sulfate as the main surfactant, softened by cocamidopropyl betaine and lauryl glucoside for milder foam, thickened with an acrylates copolymer and sodium chloride. Glycerin and glyceryl glucoside reduce post-wash tightness, while tocopheryl acetate, panthenol and lotus extract add light actives; polyquaternium-10 gives slip. Preserved with phenoxyethanol plus methyl- and ethylparaben, with fragrance and colorants. Formulator note: a conventional but well-balanced system with moderately strong cleansing, best for normal-to-oily skin.
Key ingredients
- ANTIPLAQUE
- Water
- ANTISTATIC
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- CLEANSING
- Sodium Myreth Sulfate
- BINDING
- Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
- DENATURANT
- Glycerin
- HUMECTANT
- Glyceryl Glucoside
- ANTIOXIDANT
- Tocopheryl Acetate
- SKIN CONDITIONING
- Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract
Other ingredients
PanthenolLauryl GlucosideSodium ChloridePEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl PalmatePolyquaternium-10Benzophenone-4Propylene GlycolPhenoxyethanolMethylparabenEthylparabenFragranceCi 42090Ci 16035
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ANTIPLAQUE, SKIN CONDITIONING, SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Cocamidopropyl Betaine | ANTISTATIC, CLEANSING, SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, HAIR CONDITIONING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, SKIN CONDITIONING - MISCELLANEOUS | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Myreth Sulfate | CLEANSING, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, FOAMING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 1 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Acrylates Copolymer | BINDING, FILM FORMING, OPACIFYING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Glycerin | DENATURANT, HAIR CONDITIONING, HUMECTANT, ORAL CARE, SKIN PROTECTING, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, PERFUMING, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Glyceryl Glucoside | HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Tocopheryl Acetate | ANTIOXIDANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract | SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Panthenol | ANTISTATIC, HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Lauryl Glucoside | CLEANSING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 0 · – | Green |
| Sodium Chloride | BULKING, FRAGRANCE, ORAL CARE, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil | SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 1 · 2 | Green |
| PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate | CLEANSING, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, SOLVENT, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Polyquaternium-10 | ANTISTATIC, FILM FORMING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Benzophenone-4 | Not decoded yet | — | — |
| Propylene Glycol | HUMECTANT, FRAGRANCE, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING - MISCELLANEOUS | 1 · 0 | Green |
| Phenoxyethanol | ANTIMICROBIAL, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/29 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Methylparaben | FRAGRANCE, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/12 | 0 · 0 | Yellow |
| Ethylparaben | FRAGRANCE, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/12 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Fragrance | 矫味剂,增香剂 | — | Yellow |
| Ci 42090 | COLORANT, HAIR DYEING · 限制 IV/63 (CI 42090) III/190 (Acid Blue 9; Acid Blue 9 Ammonium Salt; Acid Blue 9 Aluminum Lake) | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Ci 16035 | COLORANT, HAIR DYEING · 限制 IV/32 (CI 16035) III/191 (Curry Red) | 3 · – | Green |
Ingredients explained
- Water
- Primary solvent and base; requires preservative system to prevent microbial growth
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- Cocamidopropyl betaine; zwitterionic co-surfactant reducing irritation and boosting foam, common in mild cleansers.
- Sodium Myreth Sulfate
- Sodium Myreth Sulfate, mild surfactant; good foam, less irritating than SLS.
- Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
- Water-soluble film former for styling and thickening; check residual acryloyl chloride for sensitive skin.
- Glycerin
- Workhorse humectant at 3–10%; tacky at high levels, pair with occlusives
- Glyceryl Glucoside
- Polyol humectant with light, non-sticky feel; less tacky than glycerin
- Tocopheryl Acetate
- Vitamin E derivative antioxidant at 0.1–1%; more stable than tocopherol, store protected from light
- Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract
- Lotus flower extract containing magnolol, skin conditioner; botanical, low concentration use
- Panthenol
- Panthenol (vitamin B5) at 1–5%; moisturizing and reparative, supports barrier recovery
- Lauryl Glucoside
- Mild nonionic surfactant for cleansing; 1-5%, suitable for sensitive skin
- Sodium Chloride
- Salt for gel viscosity control; used as precipitant in soaps
- PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
- Solubilizer and emulsifier for oil-soluble ingredients; high concentrations may cause contact dermatitis in sensitive skin.
- PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate
- High MW PEG derivative for cleansing; water-soluble, smooth feel.
- Polyquaternium-10
- Cationic polymer for fabric or hair smoothness; generally low irritation but may conflict with other cationic actives
- Benzophenone-4
- Not decoded yet
- Propylene Glycol
- Polyol humectant at 3-10%; hygroscopic, slight tackiness, mild irritation at high conc., verify preservative efficacy, no allergen.
- Phenoxyethanol
- Broad-spectrum preservative at ≤1%; may irritate sensitive eye areas, often paired with ethylhexylglycerin
- Methylparaben
- Preservative, narrow spectrum; often combined, check allergen risk and regulatory limits.
- Ethylparaben
- Paraben preservative; EU restricted, watch total load and sensitive skin reactions
- Fragrance
- Fragrance; concentration must control allergen risk, label specific components
- Ci 42090
- Acid Blue 9 lake; for coloring and brow tints. Non-permanent hair dye, watch for lake precipitation and batch shade variance.
- Ci 16035
- Azo hair dye component, requires alkaline activation. Restricted to professional hair use, not for daily wash.
Source: full ingredient list published on the product label, collected 2026-09-20. Ratings are our internal reading, not a regulatory conclusion. · Product page
Want to build one like this? Send an enquiry