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Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser ingredients: is it worth it?
Clarins sells this as exfoliation, but the formula is primarily a fragranced cleanser with scrub particles.
Clarins sells this as exfoliation, but the formula is primarily a fragranced cleanser with scrub particles.
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The efficacy score is 3.6/5 because Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, and Coco-Glucoside provide a reasonably mild cleansing base, while glycerin and propanediol help reduce a stripped after-feel. Cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, and jojoba esters provide only brief-contact physical exfoliation; there is no leave-on AHA, BHA, or other high-evidence exfoliating treatment, and the botanical extracts are too low in the list to drive the score. The safety score is 4.3/5 because fragrance, colorants, talc, and multiple botanical extracts increase irritation or sensitivity considerations, although the formula avoids an aggressive primary sulfate/sulfonate.
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DemythSkin rates Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser 3.6/5 for efficacy and 4.3/5 for safety.
CONTAINS COMMON SENSITISERS⌄
Fragrance components and essential oils that more often cause reactions in sensitive skin: Parfum/Fragrance. 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 (14)⌄
FULL INGREDIENT LIST⌄
Aqua/Water/Eau, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Propanediol, Acrylates Copolymer, Cellulose, Coco-Glucoside, Citric Acid, Phenoxyisopropanol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Laurate, Xanthan Gum, Parfum/Fragrance, Jojoba Esters, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract, Gentiana Lutea Extract, CI 77492/Iron Oxides, Potassium Sorbate, Talc, CI 73360/Red 30, Maltodextrin, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract
WHAT EACH INGREDIENT DOES (24)⌄
- Aqua/Water/Eau
- Solvent and formula base
- Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
- Primary mild surfactant
- Glycerin
- Humectant water binder
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- Secondary mild surfactant
- Propanediol
- Humectant and solvent
- Acrylates Copolymer
- Film former and thickener
- Cellulose
- Texture and exfoliating particle
- Coco-Glucoside
- Nonionic cleansing surfactant
- Citric Acid
- pH adjuster
- Phenoxyisopropanol
- Preservative and solvent
- Microcrystalline Cellulose
- Physical exfoliating particle
- Sodium Chloride
- Viscosity adjustment salt
- Sodium Laurate
- Cleansing and emulsifying agent
- Xanthan Gum
- Formula thickener
- Parfum/Fragrance
- Fragrance component
- Jojoba Esters
- Emollient exfoliating particles
- Caprylyl Glycol
- Humectant and preservative booster
- Disodium EDTA
- Chelating agent
- Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Extract
- Botanical skin-conditioning extract
- Sodium Benzoate
- Preservative
- Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
- Botanical skin-conditioning extract
- Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract
- Botanical cleansing extract
- Gentiana Lutea Extract
- Botanical skin-conditioning extract
- CI 77492/Iron Oxides
- Colorant
EXTERNAL CITATIONS
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate: Mild anionic cleansing surfactant used to remove oils and soil.
Glycerin: Well-established humectant that helps attract and retain water.
Cellulose: Provides physical particle-based exfoliation in the rinse-off formula.
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.
Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser: common questions
Is Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser worth it?
Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser scores 3.6 out of 5.0 for efficacy (Modest) and 4.3 out of 5.0 for safety (Gentle) on DemythSkin's independent ingredient analysis. Clarins sells this as exfoliation, but the formula is primarily a fragranced cleanser with scrub particles.
What are the key active ingredients in Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser?
Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser contains no gold-standard actives. Its formula is built on supporting and base ingredients rather than clinically transformative actives.
Does Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser contain fragrance or known irritants?
DemythSkin flags these ingredients in Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser as documented irritants: Phenoxyisopropanol, Parfum/Fragrance. This product does contain fragrance.
How is Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating 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.
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