e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Gentle Peeling Exfoliating Cleanser — Efficacy 2.8/5.0, Safety 3.9/5.0 | DemythSkin
++++
[ DemythSkin Verdict ]
e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Gentle Peeling Exfoliating Cleanser
e.l.f.

e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Gentle Peeling Exfoliating Cleanser

CleanserExfoliation
Efficacy
Weak
2.8 / 5.0
Safety
Mostly Safe
3.9 / 5.0
System Verdict
It’s a gentle gommage cleanser, not a true treatment exfoliant. The efficacy score is driven mostly by microcrystalline cellulose plus Quaternium-60 for mechanical peeling, with glycerin and glycols making the rub-off action less abrasive; it does not have an acid system, so there is no pH-dependent exfoliation to credit, and the plant extracts sit too low to meaningfully move the needle. The added fragrance and allergen load slightly hurt the formula’s skin-friendliness, which keeps the score solid but not exceptional.
Active Ingredients Detected
A Tier: Good BasicsProven Results
Glycerin
B Tier: Supporting IngredientsPromising Ingredients
Quaternium-60Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
C Tier: Marketing IdolsHype | Limited or Weak Data
Carica Papaya (Papaya) Leaf ExtractCitrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Fruit Extract
D Tier: Potential IrritantsBe Cautious
Fragrance (Parfum)Benzyl SalicylateHexyl CinnamalLinalool
What Each Ingredient Does
Water (Aqua)
solvent base
Propylene Glycol
humectant solvent
Microcrystalline Cellulose
mechanical peeling agent
Quaternium-60
film former
Butylene Glycol
humectant solvent
Carbomer
thickener gel base
Glycerin
humectant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
soothing extract component
Carica Papaya (Papaya) Leaf Extract
botanical extract
Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Fruit Extract
botanical extract
Caprylyl Glycol
humectant preservative booster
Phenoxyethanol
preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
preservative booster
Fragrance (Parfum)
fragrance
Benzyl Salicylate
fragrance allergen
Hexyl Cinnamal
fragrance allergen
Linalool
fragrance allergen
Full Ingredient List (INCI)

Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Quaternium-60, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Glycerin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Leaf Extract, Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Fruit Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragrance (Parfum), Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool

Frequently Asked

Is e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Gentle Peeling Exfoliating Cleanser worth it?

e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Gentle Peeling Exfoliating Cleanser scores 2.8 out of 5.0 for efficacy (Weak) and 3.9 out of 5.0 for safety (Mostly Safe) on DemythSkin's independent ingredient analysis. It’s a gentle gommage cleanser, not a true treatment exfoliant. The efficacy score is driven mostly by microcrystalline cellulose plus Quaternium-60 for mechanical peeling, with glycerin and glycols making the rub-off ac

What are the key active ingredients in e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Gentle Peeling Exfoliating Cleanser?

e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Gentle Peeling Exfoliating Cleanser contains no gold-standard actives — its formula is built on supporting and base ingredients rather than clinically transformative actives.

Does e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Gentle Peeling Exfoliating Cleanser contain fragrance or known irritants?

DemythSkin flags these ingredients in e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Gentle Peeling Exfoliating Cleanser as potential irritants: Fragrance (Parfum), Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool. This product does contain fragrance.

How is e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Gentle Peeling Exfoliating 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: 2026-08-11. DemythSkin is an independent ingredient analyzer. Scores are computed by a deterministic rubric from published clinical evidence — no brand pays for a score.