ph-formula pH Formula Exfo Cleanser
ph-formula pH Formula Exfo Cleanser lists 30 ingredients on its label, 28 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.
- Aqua
- Acrylates Copolymer
- Steareth-2
- Sorbitol
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- Papain
- Calcium Pantothenate
- Xanthan Gum
- Urea
- Caprylyl Glycol
- Magnesium Lactate
- Ethylhexylglycerin
- Potassium Lactate
- Serine
- Alanine
- Proline
- Magnesium Chloride
- Steareth-21
- Glyceryl Stearate
- Triethanolamine
- Cetyl Alcohol
- Lactobionic Acid
- Phenoxyethanol
- Benzyl Alcohol
- PVP
- Potassium Sorbate
- Disodium EDTA
- Niacinamide
- Aspalathus Linearis Extract
- Tocopherol
Highlights
Free of parabensFree of siliconesFree of sulfatesFree of mineral oilFree of essential oilsFree of formaldehyde releasersContains fragranceContains alcoholContains EU-26 allergens
Key ingredients
- SOLVENT
- Aqua
- ANTISTATIC
- Acrylates CopolymerCocamidopropyl BetainePapainUrea
- HUMECTANT
- Sorbitol
- HAIR CONDITIONING
- Calcium Pantothenate
- BINDING
- Xanthan Gum
Other ingredients
Steareth-2Caprylyl GlycolMagnesium LactateEthylhexylglycerinPotassium LactateSerineAlanineProlineMagnesium ChlorideSteareth-21Glyceryl StearateTriethanolamineCetyl AlcoholLactobionic AcidPhenoxyethanolBenzyl AlcoholPVPPotassium SorbateDisodium EDTANiacinamideAspalathus Linearis ExtractTocopherol
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aqua | SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Acrylates Copolymer | ANTISTATIC, BINDING, FILM FORMING | 0 · – | Green |
| Steareth-2 | Not decoded yet | — | — |
| Sorbitol | HUMECTANT, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING, PERFUMING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Cocamidopropyl Betaine | ANTISTATIC, CLEANSING, SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, HAIR CONDITIONING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, SKIN CONDITIONING - MISCELLANEOUS | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Papain | ANTISTATIC, HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING | 1 · 0 | Green |
| Calcium Pantothenate | HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING - MISCELLANEOUS | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Xanthan Gum | BINDING, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, EMULSION STABILISING, GEL FORMING, SKIN CONDITIONING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Urea | ANTISTATIC, BUFFERING, HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | 1 · 0 | Red |
| Caprylyl Glycol | DEODORANT, SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Magnesium Lactate | BUFFERING, KERATOLYTIC, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Ethylhexylglycerin | DEODORANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Potassium Lactate | BUFFERING, HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Serine | ANTISTATIC, HAIR CONDITIONING, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · – | Green |
| Alanine | ANTISTATIC, HAIR CONDITIONING, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Proline | HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Magnesium Chloride | VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, FLAVOURING | 0 · – | Green |
| Steareth-21 | Not decoded yet | — | — |
| Glyceryl Stearate | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Triethanolamine | BUFFERING, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, FRAGRANCE, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING · 限制 III/62 | 2 · – | Yellow |
| Cetyl Alcohol | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, EMULSION STABILISING, SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, FRAGRANCE, OPACIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 1 · 1 | Green |
| Lactobionic Acid | BUFFERING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Phenoxyethanol | ANTIMICROBIAL, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/29 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Benzyl Alcohol | PRESERVATIVE, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, PERFUMING · 限制 III/45 and V/34 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| PVP | ANTISTATIC, BINDING, EMULSION STABILISING, FILM FORMING, HAIR FIXING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Potassium Sorbate | FRAGRANCE, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/4 | 0 · – | Yellow |
| Disodium EDTA | CHELATING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Niacinamide | SMOOTHING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Aspalathus Linearis Extract | SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · – | Green |
| Tocopherol | ANTIOXIDANT, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING - MISCELLANEOUS, SKIN CONDITIONING - OCCLUSIVE | 0 · 0 | Green |
Ingredients explained
- Aqua
- Solvent, main base; microbial control is critical
- Acrylates Copolymer
- Acrylate synthetic polymer for film forming and antistatic; breathable film, control dosage carefully
- Steareth-2
- Not decoded yet
- Sorbitol
- Polyol humectant with strong hygroscopy; tacky at high levels, pair with occlusives; also a solvent or adjuster.
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- Cocamidopropyl betaine; zwitterionic co-surfactant reducing irritation and boosting foam, common in mild cleansers.
- Papain
- Protease for mild exfoliation; concentration must be controlled to avoid irritation.
- Calcium Pantothenate
- Pro-vitamin B5 for hair/skin conditioning; water-soluble, used in conditioners
- Xanthan Gum
- Natural thickener at 0.1–1%; provides gel texture, pH-stable, requires full hydration
- Urea
- Potent humectant and keratolytic, >10% has exfoliating effect; stinging sensation at high levels, sensitive skin caution
- Caprylyl Glycol
- Polyol conditioner and preservative booster at 0.5–3%; emollient feel, often paired with 1,2-hexanediol
- Magnesium Lactate
- Magnesium lactate chelate; aids buffering and keratolysis, safe at low conc, mild irritant high.
- Ethylhexylglycerin
- Mild conditioner and preservative booster at 0.5–1%; reduces preservative load, smooth feel
- Potassium Lactate
- Buffer and humectant at 1–5%; adjusts pH to 4.5–5.5, boosts moisture, low irritancy.
- Serine
- Humectant amino acid, 1–3%; high water solubility, compatible with sensitive skin.
- Alanine
- Amino acid for antistatic and conditioning; low irritation, slight salty taste at high levels
- Proline
- Proline, amino-acid humectant; boosts stratum corneum hydration, stable at pH 4-5.
- Magnesium Chloride
- Inorganic salt for thickening and pH adjustment; 0.1-1%, avoid calcium ions
- Steareth-21
- Not decoded yet
- Glyceryl Stearate
- Emulsifier at 1-3%; may require acid to prevent saponification
- Triethanolamine
- Triethanolamine for buffering; restricted, limit concentration to avoid high pH and irritation
- Cetyl Alcohol
- Cetyl alcohol for emulsification/thickening; high concentration >10% may irritate.
- Lactobionic Acid
- Polyhydroxy acid for pH buffering; gentle, check stability at high levels
- Phenoxyethanol
- Broad-spectrum preservative at ≤1%; may irritate sensitive eye areas, often paired with ethylhexylglycerin
- Benzyl Alcohol
- Mild preservative/solvent at 0.5-1.0%; EU allergen (labeling required), irritation risk if concentrated, avoid in infant/highly sensitive skin.
- PVP
- Polyvinylpyrrolidone for film forming and thickening; used in styling and adhesion, occasional eye irritation reported.
- Potassium Sorbate
- Preservative effective below pH 6; combinable with sodium benzoate
- Disodium EDTA
- Chelating agent at 0.05–0.5%; sequesters metal ions for stability, boosts preservative efficacy
- Niacinamide
- Niacinamide at 2–5%; improves texture, controls oil, brightens; high levels may cause sensitivity
- Aspalathus Linearis Extract
- Rooibos tea extract with high antioxidant capacity; soothing, no known irritation
- Tocopherol
- Natural antioxidant (vitamin E) at 0.1–1%; prone to oxidation, store protected from light
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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