e-l-f elf Blemish Breakthrough Clarify Cleanser
e-l-f elf Blemish Breakthrough Clarify Cleanser 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 alcoholFree of fragranceFree of parabensFree of siliconesFree of mineral oilFree of essential oilsFree of formaldehyde releasersContains sulfatesContains EU-26 allergens
Key ingredients
- ANTI-SEBORRHEIC
- Salicylic Acid
- ANTIPLAQUE
- Water
- CLEANSING
- Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
- ANTISTATIC
- Cocamidopropyl BetaineHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
- DENATURANT
- Glycerin
- HUMECTANT
- Zinc Pca
- ANTICORROSIVE
- Sodium Benzoate
Other ingredients
Sodium HydroxideSodium ChlorideCitric AcidDisodium EDTANiacinamideTranexamic AcidBlue 1Yellow 5
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salicylic Acid | ANTI-SEBORRHEIC, HAIR CONDITIONING, KERATOLYTIC, FRAGRANCE, PRESERVATIVE, SKIN CONDITIONING · 限制 III/98 V/3 | 2 · 0 | Yellow |
| Water | ANTIPLAQUE, SKIN CONDITIONING, SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate | CLEANSING, FOAMING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 3 · 0 | Green |
| Cocamidopropyl Betaine | ANTISTATIC, CLEANSING, SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, HAIR CONDITIONING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, SKIN CONDITIONING - MISCELLANEOUS | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Glycerin | DENATURANT, HAIR CONDITIONING, HUMECTANT, ORAL CARE, SKIN PROTECTING, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, PERFUMING, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Zinc Pca | HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING · 限制 III/24 | 1 · – | Green |
| Sodium Benzoate | ANTICORROSIVE, FRAGRANCE, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/1 | 0 · – | Yellow |
| Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose | ANTISTATIC, BINDING, EMULSION STABILISING, FILM FORMING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Hydroxide | BUFFERING, DENATURANT · 限制 III/15a | 3 · – | Green |
| Sodium Chloride | BULKING, FRAGRANCE, ORAL CARE, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Citric Acid | BUFFERING, CHELATING, FRAGRANCE | 1 · 0 | Green |
| Disodium EDTA | CHELATING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Niacinamide | SMOOTHING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Tranexamic Acid | ASTRINGENT, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Blue 1 | 着色剂 | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Yellow 5 | 着色剂 | 2 · 0 | Green |
Ingredients explained
- Salicylic Acid
- Lipophilic BHA at 0.5-2%; exfoliant/sebum control, irritation/sensitization at high conc., photosensitivity (SPF needed), avoid sensitive/pregnant.
- Water
- Primary solvent and base; requires preservative system to prevent microbial growth
- Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
- Sulfate surfactant at 1–5%; strong cleansing, may cause dryness/irritation
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- Cocamidopropyl betaine; zwitterionic co-surfactant reducing irritation and boosting foam, common in mild cleansers.
- Glycerin
- Workhorse humectant at 3–10%; tacky at high levels, pair with occlusives
- Zinc Pca
- Zinc salt for sebum control and antimicrobial; often paired with PCA sodium, high levels may cause sensitization
- Sodium Benzoate
- Preservative booster, effective below pH 4.5; combinable with sorbates
- Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
- High polymer for thickening and film formation; water-soluble, used in physical sunscreens or gels, tacky at high levels
- Sodium Hydroxide
- Strong base neutralizer for pH adjustment; handle with extreme care
- Sodium Chloride
- Salt for gel viscosity control; used as precipitant in soaps
- Citric Acid
- Buffer and chelator at 0.1–2%; adjusts pH, may irritate sensitive skin at low pH
- 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
- Tranexamic Acid
- Tranexamic acid for skin brightening; generally mild at low external doses.
- Blue 1
- Synthetic water-soluble dye for color; use within regulatory limits
- Yellow 5
- Synthetic dye for color; known allergen, may irritate sensitive skin.
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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