nivea Refreshing Face Wash
nivea Nivea Refreshing Face Wash lists 23 ingredients on its label, 22 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
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- Sodium Myreth Sulfate
- Acrylates Copolymer
- Glycerin
- Sodium Hydroxide
- 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
- Perfume
- 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
Key ingredients
- SOLVENT
- Aqua
- ANTISTATIC
- Cocamidopropyl BetaineAcrylates Copolymer
- CLEANSING
- Sodium Myreth Sulfate
- DENATURANT
- Glycerin
- BUFFERING
- Sodium Hydroxide
- HUMECTANT
- Glyceryl Glucoside
- ANTIOXIDANT
- Tocopheryl Acetate
Other ingredients
Nelumbium Speciosum Flower ExtractPanthenolLauryl GlucosideSodium ChloridePEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl PalmatePolyquaternium-10Benzophenone-4Propylene GlycolPhenoxyethanolMethylparabenEthylparabenPerfumeCi 42090Ci 16035
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aqua | 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 |
| Acrylates Copolymer | ANTISTATIC, BINDING, FILM FORMING | 0 · – | Green |
| Glycerin | DENATURANT, HAIR CONDITIONING, HUMECTANT, ORAL CARE, SKIN PROTECTING, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, PERFUMING, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Hydroxide | BUFFERING, DENATURANT · 限制 III/15a | 3 · – | 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 |
| Perfume | 香精, 香氛 | 1 · – | Green |
| 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
- Aqua
- Solvent, main base; microbial control is critical
- 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.
- Acrylates Copolymer
- Acrylate synthetic polymer for film forming and antistatic; breathable film, control dosage carefully
- Glycerin
- Workhorse humectant at 3–10%; tacky at high levels, pair with occlusives
- Sodium Hydroxide
- Strong base neutralizer for pH adjustment; handle with extreme care
- 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
- Perfume
- Perfume/Fragrance blend. Opaque composition, a leading cause of contact dermatitis. Must list specific EU 26 allergens if present. Patch test required.
- 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 2026-09-19. Ratings are our internal reading, not a regulatory conclusion. · Product page
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