Cetaphil Gentle Clear Complexion - Clearing BPO Acne Cleanser Ingredients Explained

Name: Gentle Clear Complexion - Clearing BPO Acne Cleanser
Brand: Cetaphil

Published on October 05, 2022 Submitted by seegeesee

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Starts at $11.47

Overview

What it is

Face cleanser with 15 ingredients that contains benzoyl peroxide

Cool Features

It is reef safe

Suited For

It has ingredients that are good for fighting acne, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin and dark spots

Free From

It doesn't contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates

Fun facts

Cetaphil is from United States. This product is used in 16 routines created by our community.

We independently verify ingredients and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Does this product need an update? Let us know.

Ingredient List (15)

Benzoyl Peroxide 2.6%, Water, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Glycerin, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Peg-75, Peg/Ppg-120/10 Trimethylolpropane Trioleate, Laureth-2, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Poloxamer 124, Zinc Gluconate, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid

You should know

Here's our breakdown of the notable ingredients, benefits, and concerns we determined from the ingredients in this product. Click any item to learn more.

Notable Ingredients

Benzoyl Peroxide

Benefits

Hydrating

Redness Reducing

Reduces Irritation

Dark Spots

Acne Fighting

Brightening

Concerns

Drying

Irritating (2)

Rosacea

Eczema

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.

alcohol-free

silicon-free

fragrance-free

sulfate-free

paraben-free

oil-free

fungal-acne safe

reef-safe

eu-allergen-free

vegan

cruelty-free

Ingredients Overview

Here's our quick-to-read summary of the ingredients in this product. Keep scrolling if you'd like to learn more about what each ingredient does!

Ingredient

Com. / Irr. Rating

Features

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Absorbent

0 / 0

Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent

0 / 0

Cleansing, Foaming

Humectant, Solvent

Cleansing, Emulsifying

Preservative

Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming, Skin Conditioning

Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Emulsifying

Skin Conditioning

Buffering, Masking

Ingredients Explained

This product contains 15 ingredients. Click on any ingredient to learn more about it

Benzoyl Peroxide 2.6%

What it does:

Community Rating: Disliked

Benzoyl Peroxide is famous for fighting acne. This is because it does a variety of tasks on the skin: it helps reduce excess oil, kill bacteria, and clear out dead skin cells. In other words, it is effective at unclogging pores.

These properties make it great at fighting different types of acne, including cystic and inflammatory types of acne.

When targeting the bacteria in your pores, Benzoyl Peroxide has been shown to kill the bacteria without causing sensitivity. It also helps keep your skin's natural bacteria and biome balanced. Having a healthy biome protects your skin from external harmful factors.

Once Benzoyl Peroxide is absorbed into the skin, our bodies turn it into benzoic acid and quickly exits in urine.

When using Benzoyl Peroxide, it may be irritating for some people due to a variety of reasons, such as a broken skin barrier or just an allergic reaction. We recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have concerns.

Learn more about Benzoyl Peroxide

Water

What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Community Rating: Loved

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Magnesium Aluminum Silicate

What it does: Absorbent

Community Rating: Disliked

Magnesium Aluminum Silicate is a type of silica. It comes from naturally occuring minerals such as silicate ores and clay.

Magnesium aluminum silicate is used for enhancing texture and as an absorbent. Due to its large molecular size, it is unable to be absorbed into the skin.

Like other types of silica, this ingredient can be used to thicken a product. As an absorbent, it may be used to absorb extra water or help prevent clumping.

Learn more about Magnesium Aluminum Silicate

Glycerin

What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent

Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin

Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate

What it does: Cleansing, Foaming

Community Rating: Very Disliked

Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a cleansing agent made from a mixture of long chain sulfonate salts. It can also help produce foam.

This ingredient may be drying. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.

Peg-75

What it does: Humectant, Solvent

We don't have a description for Peg-75.

Peg/Ppg-120/10 Trimethylolpropane Trioleate

What it does:

Peg/Ppg-120/10 Trimethylolpropane Trioleate isn't fungal acne safe.

Laureth-2

What it does: Cleansing, Emulsifying

We don't have a description for Laureth-2.

Phenoxyethanol

What it does: Preservative

Community Rating: Very Disliked

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

Xanthan Gum

What it does: Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming, Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Disliked

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

Learn more about Xanthan Gum

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Liked

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.

Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.

One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.

Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.

Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.

Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.

Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.

Learn more about Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Poloxamer 124

What it does: Emulsifying

We don't have a description for Poloxamer 124.

Zinc Gluconate

What it does: Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Loved

We don't have a description for Zinc Gluconate.

Disodium EDTA

What it does:

Community Rating: Disliked

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA

Citric Acid

What it does: Buffering, Masking

Community Rating: Disliked

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

Embed Ingredients

Here's what our community thinks of the 15 ingredients in this product ✨

27% are loved or liked

0% have mixed ratings

47% are disliked or very disliked

27% have no rating yet

When to use

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

Directions

1. Cleanse skin with a gentle yet effective cleanser morning and night.
2. During breakouts, treat and cleanse with benzoyl peroxide.
3. Immediately follow with a moisturizer to lock in hydration.