All scans / Cleansers / Cetaphil Gentle Clear Pore Clearing Acne Cleanser
Cetaphil Gentle Clear Pore Clearing Acne Cleanser ingredients: is it worth it?
This is a competent acne cleanser, not a miracle, but the 2% salicylic acid makes the core job real.
This is a competent acne cleanser, not a miracle, but the 2% salicylic acid makes the core job real.
READ MORE
The efficacy score is driven by a proven leave-on-irrelevant-in-contact-only acne active that still works in a rinse-off format, plus a relatively gentle surfactant system and some cushioning emollients; it loses points because salicylic acid cleanser contact time is short, the formula does not show any pH targeting on the label, and the supporting ingredients are mostly base/texture helpers rather than strong treatment actives.
We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Links never influence scores.
DemythSkin rates Cetaphil Gentle Clear Pore Clearing Acne Cleanser 4.1/5 for efficacy and 4.5/5 for safety.
CONTAINS COMMON SENSITISERS⌄
Fragrance components and essential oils that more often cause reactions in sensitive skin: Benzyl Alcohol. Most people tolerate them; patch test if your skin reacts easily.
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS BY TIER
Gold Standards
High clinical proof | Skin-transformativeReliable
Proven resultsPotent
Developing evidenceOverhyped | Marketing
Hype | Limited dataDocumented Irritants
Evidence-backed flagFORMULATION BASE (10)⌄
FULL INGREDIENT LIST⌄
Salicylic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Guar Hydroxypropyl-Trimonium Chloride, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Lactic Acid, Lauric Acid, Palmitic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Glycinate, Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Water
WHAT EACH INGREDIENT DOES (21)⌄
- Salicylic Acid
- BHA acne treatment
- Benzyl Alcohol
- Preservative and solvent
- Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
- Emollient and texture aid
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- Mild foam booster
- Glycerin
- Humectant and hydration support
- Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil
- Emollient and moisture support
- Guar Hydroxypropyl-Trimonium Chloride
- Conditioning polymer
- Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
- Emollient and structuring agent
- Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
- Thickener and texture modifier
- Lactic Acid
- pH adjuster and mild acid
- Lauric Acid
- Fatty acid and cleanser aid
- Palmitic Acid
- Fatty acid and emollient
- Phenoxyethanol
- Preservative
- Sodium Benzoate
- Preservative
- Sodium Chloride
- Viscosity modifier
- Sodium Hydroxide
- pH adjuster
- Sodium Lauroyl Glycinate
- Mild surfactant
- Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate
- Mild surfactant
- Stearic Acid
- Fatty acid thickener
- Tetrasodium EDTA
- Chelator and stabilizer
- Water
- Solvent and base
EXTERNAL CITATIONS
Salicylic Acid: CVS and DailyMed list salicylic acid 2% as the active ingredient for this cleanser.
Glycerin: Official Cetaphil and retailer ingredient lists include glycerin, supporting hydration in the wash.
Sodium Lauroyl Glycinate: Official Cetaphil ingredient list includes sodium lauroyl glycinate, a mild surfactant.
DISCLAIMER: THIS ANALYSIS IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY. NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. AI-GENERATED DATA BASED ON PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INGREDIENT LISTS. VERIFY WITH A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL.
A cheaper cleanser that scores as high or higher
A different formula for the same concern (cleansing) that scores at least as high on both efficacy and safety.
Cetaphil Gentle Clear Pore Clearing Acne Cleanser: common questions
Is Cetaphil Gentle Clear Pore Clearing Acne Cleanser worth it?
Cetaphil Gentle Clear Pore Clearing Acne Cleanser scores 4.1 out of 5.0 for efficacy (Effective) and 4.5 out of 5.0 for safety (Very Gentle) on DemythSkin's independent ingredient analysis. This is a competent acne cleanser, not a miracle, but the 2% salicylic acid makes the core job real.
What are the key active ingredients in Cetaphil Gentle Clear Pore Clearing Acne Cleanser?
Cetaphil Gentle Clear Pore Clearing Acne Cleanser contains these gold-standard actives with strong clinical evidence: Salicylic Acid.
Does Cetaphil Gentle Clear Pore Clearing Acne Cleanser contain fragrance or known irritants?
DemythSkin's analysis found no flagged irritants in Cetaphil Gentle Clear Pore Clearing Acne Cleanser. It scores 4.5 out of 5.0 for safety.
How is Cetaphil Gentle Clear Pore Clearing Acne Cleanser scored?
DemythSkin grades every product on two independent scores: efficacy (whether the ingredients have clinical evidence of working) and safety (irritation and sensitisation risk). Ingredients are graded S through D against a database of over 3,000 compounds. Brand and price are not part of the score, and no brand pays for one.
Free scores for every product in the database, or see them on Sephora, Ulta and Amazon with the Chrome extension.