Cetaphil
Cetaphil cetaphil lists 10 ingredients on its label, 10 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 alcoholFree of fragranceFree of parabensFree of siliconesFree of sulfatesFree of mineral oilFree of essential oilsFree of formaldehyde releasers
Formulation view Minimal water-based formula with glycerin, panthenol, and pantolactone for repair, plus niacinamide. Mild cocoyl isethionate cleanses; xanthan gum gels. Great for minimal or sensitive routines. Factory note: benzoyl preservative efficacy is maximized at low pH, requiring precise acid control.
Key ingredients
- SOLVENT
- Aqua
- DENATURANT
- Glycerin
- SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- ANTISTATIC
- Panthenol
- SMOOTHING
- Niacinamide
- HUMECTANT
- Pantolactone
- BINDING
- Xanthan Gum
- CLEANSING
- Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Other ingredients
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aqua | SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Glycerin | DENATURANT, HAIR CONDITIONING, HUMECTANT, ORAL CARE, SKIN PROTECTING, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, PERFUMING, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Cetearyl Alcohol | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, EMULSION STABILISING, SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, OPACIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Panthenol | ANTISTATIC, HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Niacinamide | SMOOTHING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Pantolactone | HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Xanthan Gum | BINDING, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, EMULSION STABILISING, GEL FORMING, SKIN CONDITIONING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate | CLEANSING, HAIR CONDITIONING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 1 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Benzoate | ANTICORROSIVE, FRAGRANCE, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/1 | 0 · – | Yellow |
| Citric Acid | BUFFERING, CHELATING, FRAGRANCE | 1 · 0 | Green |
Ingredients explained
- Aqua
- Solvent, main base; microbial control is critical
- Glycerin
- Workhorse humectant at 3–10%; tacky at high levels, pair with occlusives
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Fatty alcohol emulsifier at 1-5%; non-ionic surfactant
- Panthenol
- Panthenol (vitamin B5) at 1–5%; moisturizing and reparative, supports barrier recovery
- Niacinamide
- Niacinamide at 2–5%; improves texture, controls oil, brightens; high levels may cause sensitivity
- Pantolactone
- Pantolactone, humectant; hydrolyzes to release panthenol, improves skin hydration, low level use, high safety
- Xanthan Gum
- Natural thickener at 0.1–1%; provides gel texture, pH-stable, requires full hydration
- Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
- Mild cleanser with rich lather and low irritation; hygroscopic, requires moisture-resistant packaging
- Sodium Benzoate
- Preservative booster, effective below pH 4.5; combinable with sorbates
- Citric Acid
- Buffer and chelator at 0.1–2%; adjusts pH, may irritate sensitive skin at low pH
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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