e-l-f e.l.f. Exfoliating Scrub
e-l-f e.l.f. Exfoliating Scrub lists 24 ingredients on its label, 23 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
- Ethylhexyl Palmitate
- Glycerin
- Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
- Alumina Magnesium Metasilicate
- Butylene Glycol
- Glyceryl Stearate
- PEG-100 Stearate
- Polysorbate 60
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Stearic Acid
- Juglans Regia Shell Powder
- Sorbitan Stearate
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- Tocopheryl Acetate
- Xanthan Gum
- Disodium EDTA
- Sodium Chloride
- Triethanolamine
- Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract
- Phenoxyethanol
- Caprylyl Glycol
- Fragrance
- Titanium Dioxide
Highlights
Free of alcoholFree of parabensFree of siliconesFree of sulfatesFree of mineral oilFree of essential oilsFree of formaldehyde releasersContains PEGContains EU-26 allergensContains fragrance
Key ingredients
- ANTIPLAQUE
- Water
- SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT
- Ethylhexyl PalmitateGlyceryl Stearate
- DENATURANT
- Glycerin
- ABSORBENT
- Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
- HUMECTANT
- Butylene Glycol
- SURFACTANT - CLEANSING
- PEG-100 Stearate
- SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING
- Polysorbate 60
Other ingredients
Alumina Magnesium MetasilicateCetearyl AlcoholStearic AcidJuglans Regia Shell PowderSorbitan StearateCocamidopropyl BetaineTocopheryl AcetateXanthan GumDisodium EDTASodium ChlorideTriethanolaminePrunus Armeniaca Fruit ExtractPhenoxyethanolCaprylyl GlycolFragranceTitanium Dioxide
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ANTIPLAQUE, SKIN CONDITIONING, SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Ethylhexyl Palmitate | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, PERFUMING | 0 · 1 | Green |
| Glycerin | DENATURANT, HAIR CONDITIONING, HUMECTANT, ORAL CARE, SKIN PROTECTING, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, PERFUMING, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate | ABSORBENT, ANTICAKING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Alumina Magnesium Metasilicate | Not decoded yet | — | — |
| Butylene Glycol | HUMECTANT, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Glyceryl Stearate | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| PEG-100 Stearate | SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 0 · – | Green |
| Polysorbate 60 | SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 1 · – | Green |
| Cetearyl Alcohol | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, EMULSION STABILISING, SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, OPACIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Stearic Acid | CLEANSING, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, EMULSION STABILISING, FRAGRANCE, REFATTING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Juglans Regia Shell Powder | ABRASIVE | 2 · – | Green |
| Sorbitan Stearate | SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING | 0 · – | Green |
| Cocamidopropyl Betaine | ANTISTATIC, CLEANSING, SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, HAIR CONDITIONING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, SKIN CONDITIONING - MISCELLANEOUS | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Tocopheryl Acetate | ANTIOXIDANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Xanthan Gum | BINDING, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, EMULSION STABILISING, GEL FORMING, SKIN CONDITIONING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Disodium EDTA | CHELATING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Chloride | BULKING, FRAGRANCE, ORAL CARE, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Triethanolamine | BUFFERING, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, FRAGRANCE, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING · 限制 III/62 | 2 · – | Yellow |
| Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract | SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Phenoxyethanol | ANTIMICROBIAL, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/29 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Caprylyl Glycol | DEODORANT, SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Fragrance | 矫味剂,增香剂 | — | Yellow |
| Titanium Dioxide | UV FILTER · 附录 VI · 最高浓度 25%* *: In case of combined use of Titanium Dioxide and Titanium Dioxide (nano), the sum shall not exceed the limit given in column g (Maximum concentration in ready for use preparation) · 限制 <empty>; as a constituent of other substances, or in mixtures, in concentrations equal to, or greater than 0.1% by weight; Shall not be placed on the market, or used, as substance or in mixtures in concentrations equal to ot greater than 0.1% by weight; Shall not be used as propellant in aerosols for any use. Aerosols dispenser containing the substance as propellant shall not | 0 · 0 | Yellow |
Ingredients explained
- Water
- Primary solvent and base; requires preservative system to prevent microbial growth
- Ethylhexyl Palmitate
- Synthetic ester emollient with light skin feel; small molecule, slightly comedogenic, use cautiously for acne-prone skin, often blended with other oils.
- Glycerin
- Workhorse humectant at 3–10%; tacky at high levels, pair with occlusives
- Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
- Modified starch absorbent at 1–10%; for powder products, oil-absorbing without heavy feel
- Alumina Magnesium Metasilicate
- Not decoded yet
- Butylene Glycol
- Polyol humectant and solvent at 1–5%; aids solubilization, light feel
- 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.
- Polysorbate 60
- Non-ionic emulsifier and solubilizer for O/W or W/O stability; may cause mild stinging on sensitive skin, typically 1-5%.
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Fatty alcohol emulsifier at 1-5%; non-ionic surfactant
- Stearic Acid
- Fatty acid emulsifier, white waxy solid; adds slip feel
- Juglans Regia Shell Powder
- Ground walnut shell powder used as a physical exfoliant; particle size determines abrasiveness
- Sorbitan Stearate
- Non-ionic emulsifier for O/W systems; hydrophobic, requires co-emulsifiers, inert at high purity
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- Cocamidopropyl betaine; zwitterionic co-surfactant reducing irritation and boosting foam, common in mild cleansers.
- Tocopheryl Acetate
- Vitamin E derivative antioxidant at 0.1–1%; more stable than tocopherol, store protected from light
- Xanthan Gum
- Natural thickener at 0.1–1%; provides gel texture, pH-stable, requires full hydration
- Disodium EDTA
- Chelating agent at 0.05–0.5%; sequesters metal ions for stability, boosts preservative efficacy
- Sodium Chloride
- Salt for gel viscosity control; used as precipitant in soaps
- Triethanolamine
- Triethanolamine for buffering; restricted, limit concentration to avoid high pH and irritation
- Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract
- Fruit extract rich in vitamins and enzymes for skin conditioning; prone to discoloration at high pH, add antioxidants
- Phenoxyethanol
- Broad-spectrum preservative at ≤1%; may irritate sensitive eye areas, often paired with ethylhexylglycerin
- Caprylyl Glycol
- Polyol conditioner and preservative booster at 0.5–3%; emollient feel, often paired with 1,2-hexanediol
- Fragrance
- Fragrance; concentration must control allergen risk, label specific components
- Titanium Dioxide
- Physical UV filter and colorant up to 25%; nano form requires attention
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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