ethique The Guardian
ethique Ethique The Guardian 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 parabensFree of siliconesFree of sulfatesFree of mineral oilFree of formaldehyde releasersContains essential oilsContains EU-26 allergensContains alcoholContains fragrance
Formulation view A semi-solid balm structure built on cetyl and stearyl alcohols, enriched with coconut and cocoa butters for strong occlusion. A cationic surfactant enhances conditioning, while panthenol supports barrier repair. Benzyl alcohol serves as the preservative. The high oil load is ideal for dry skin or body massage. Formulators note the heavy texture may be unsuitable for oily skin types.
Key ingredients
- SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT
- Cetyl AlcoholStearyl AlcoholTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
- ANTISTATIC
- Behentrimonium Methosulfate
- HAIR CONDITIONING
- Cocos Nucifera Oil
- DENATURANT
- Glycerin
- FRAGRANCE
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
- CLEANSING
- Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Other ingredients
Benzyl AlcoholPanthenolMicaDehydroacetic AcidAquaLimonene*Ci 77288Ci 77891
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cetyl Alcohol | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, EMULSION STABILISING, SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, FRAGRANCE, OPACIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 1 · 1 | Green |
| Stearyl Alcohol | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, EMULSION STABILISING, SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, FRAGRANCE, OPACIFYING, REFATTING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 3 | Green |
| Behentrimonium Methosulfate | ANTISTATIC, HAIR CONDITIONING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 1 · – | Green |
| Cocos Nucifera Oil | HAIR CONDITIONING, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING, PERFUMING | 0 · 4 | Green |
| Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING, SKIN PROTECTING | 0 · 3 | Green |
| Glycerin | DENATURANT, HAIR CONDITIONING, HUMECTANT, ORAL CARE, SKIN PROTECTING, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, PERFUMING, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride | FRAGRANCE, SOLVENT, PERFUMING, SKIN CONDITIONING - OCCLUSIVE | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Citrus Aurantifolia Oil | CLEANSING, HAIR CONDITIONING, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING, TONIC, PERFUMING · 限制 II/358 | 2 · 2 | Green |
| Benzyl Alcohol | PRESERVATIVE, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, PERFUMING · 限制 III/45 and V/34 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Panthenol | ANTISTATIC, HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Mica | ANTICAKING, BULKING, COLORANT, OPACIFYING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Dehydroacetic Acid | PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/13 | — | Yellow |
| Aqua | SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Limonene* | 香料, 皮肤调理剂 | 1 · – | Green |
| Ci 77288 | COLORANT · 限制 IV/129 | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Ci 77891 | COLORANT · 限制 IV/143 | 0 · – | Green |
Ingredients explained
- Cetyl Alcohol
- Cetyl alcohol for emulsification/thickening; high concentration >10% may irritate.
- Stearyl Alcohol
- Stearic alcohol; fatty alcohol for emulsion thickening/structure, often blended with soaps, moderate comedogenicity.
- Behentrimonium Methosulfate
- Cationic surfactant for conditioning and antistatic; be careful with anionic actives compatibility.
- Cocos Nucifera Oil
- Occlusive moisturizing oil at 1–10%; highly comedogenic, use with caution for oily skin.
- Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
- Heavy, occlusive plant butter; medium comedogenic rating, avoid on oily skin.
- Glycerin
- Workhorse humectant at 3–10%; tacky at high levels, pair with occlusives
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
- Light occlusive and solvent at 1–10%; non-greasy feel, suitable for oily and combination skin
- Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
- Bitter orange essential oil; fragrance and conditioning. Phototoxic; use in AM formulas requires sun protection. EU restricted.
- Benzyl Alcohol
- Mild preservative/solvent at 0.5-1.0%; EU allergen (labeling required), irritation risk if concentrated, avoid in infant/highly sensitive skin.
- Panthenol
- Panthenol (vitamin B5) at 1–5%; moisturizing and reparative, supports barrier recovery
- Mica
- Mineral colorant for pearlescence; heavy metal screening required
- Dehydroacetic Acid
- Broad-spectrum preservative for acidic and oil-based systems; has concentration limits, requires challenge testing.
- Aqua
- Solvent, main base; microbial control is critical
- Limonene*
- Limonene; main component of citrus oils; natural fragrance, oxidizes into irritants; one of EU's 26 allergenic fragrances.
- Ci 77288
- Iron Oxide Red colorant, EU restricted; ensure uniform dispersion, avoid metal ion cross-contamination.
- Ci 77891
- Titanium dioxide inorganic pigment and UV filter; assess inhalation risk for nano-forms and EU restrictions
Source: full ingredient list published on the product label, collected 2026-09-21. Ratings are our internal reading, not a regulatory conclusion. · Product page
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