Cetaphil Gentle Clear Pore Clearing Acne Cleanser — Efficacy 4.1/5.0, Safety 4.4/5.0 | DemythSkin
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[ DemythSkin Verdict ]
Cetaphil Gentle Clear Pore Clearing Acne Cleanser
Cetaphil

Cetaphil Gentle Clear Pore Clearing Acne Cleanser

CleanserAcne / Oil Control
Efficacy
Strong
4.1 / 5.0
Safety
Safe
4.4 / 5.0
System Verdict
A solid acne cleanser with a real 2% salicylic acid payload, but the base is only moderately gentle and not especially elegant. The efficacy score is driven by the OTC-strength salicylic acid contact treatment plus a reasonably mild surfactant blend, while the score is held back by the lack of strong evidence that the moisturizing extras meaningfully offset cleansing time, and by the unknown final wash pH for an acid cleanser where pH matters for salicylic acid performance.
Active Ingredients Detected
S Tier: Gold StandardsHigh Clinical Proof | Skin-Transformative
Salicylic Acid
A Tier: Good BasicsProven Results
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) ButterGlycerinGlycine Soja (Soybean) Oil
B Tier: Supporting IngredientsPromising Ingredients
Guar Hydroxypropyl-Trimonium ChlorideHydrogenated Soybean OilHydroxypropyl Starch PhosphateLauric AcidSodium ChlorideSodium Lauroyl GlycinateSodium Lauroyl Isethionate
What Each Ingredient Does
Salicylic Acid
beta hydroxy acid acne active
Benzyl Alcohol
preservative solvent
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
emollient butter
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
mild amphoteric surfactant
Glycerin
humectant moisturizer
Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil
emollient oil
Guar Hydroxypropyl-Trimonium Chloride
conditioning thickener
Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
emollient structuring oil
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
thickener stabilizer
Lactic Acid
pH adjuster exfoliant
Lauric Acid
fatty acid surfactant
Palmitic Acid
fatty acid structurant
Phenoxyethanol
preservative
Sodium Benzoate
preservative
Sodium Chloride
viscosity modifier
Sodium Hydroxide
pH adjuster
Sodium Lauroyl Glycinate
mild amino acid surfactant
Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate
mild surfactant cleanser
Stearic Acid
fatty acid thickener
Tetrasodium EDTA
chelator stabilizer
Water
solvent base
Full Ingredient List (INCI)

Active Ingredient: Salicylic Acid 2%. Inactive Ingredients: 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.

Frequently Asked

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 (Strong) and 4.4 out of 5.0 for safety (Safe) on DemythSkin's independent ingredient analysis. A solid acne cleanser with a real 2% salicylic acid payload, but the base is only moderately gentle and not especially elegant. The efficacy score is driven by the OTC-strength salicylic acid contact treatment plus a rea

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 4.4 out of 5.0 for safety.

How is Cetaphil Gentle Clear Pore Clearing Acne Cleanser scored?

DemythSkin grades every product on two independent axes: efficacy (whether the ingredients have clinical evidence of working) and safety (irritation and sensitisation risk). Ingredients are classified S through D against a database of over 3,000 compounds. No brand pays for a score.

Analyze on DemythSkin →

Analysis last updated: 2026-08-10. DemythSkin is an independent ingredient analyzer. Scores are computed by a deterministic rubric from published clinical evidence — no brand pays for a score.