Good Looks
Cetaphil: Why the popular cleanser isn’t doing your skin any favors
Cetaphil probably has the best PR of any facial soap. Beauty magazines gush over it as a no-frills $8 must-have. Dermatologists love to recommend it as a mild and non-irritating facial cleanser for two reasons: it doesn’t contain fragrance and, more tellingly, because MDs have a big Pharma love affair with the manufacturer, Galderma, the offspring of Nestlé and L’Oréal, which also makes acne drugs like Differin.
And yet there’s nothing healthy about this face-washing prescription.
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser contains just eight ingredients: water, cetyl alcohol, propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfate, stearyl alcohol, methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben.
All but the water are chemically manufactured (let’s hope), and propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfate, and the three parabens have a seat on the dirty dozen, a list of cosmetic ingredients to avoid as potentially toxic.
One look at the label and you’ve got to go “Wait a minute! What?”says Spirit Demerson, who analyzes skin-care ingredients for Spirit Beauty Lounge, her online natural beauty store. “Cetaphil does not contain even one single beneficial ingredient and what it does contain is the equivalent of toxic sludge. Whether you think it’s keeping your skin healthy or not, it is absorbed into your bloodstream and research has proven almost all of the few ingredients in it are carcinogenic. I know it’s hard to imagine that washing your face can give you cancer but it’s worth consideration.”
The ingredients in this popular Gentle Skin Cleanser don't support the name
Julia March, a top NYC facialist, says that so many New Yorkers believe that Cetaphil is healthy, they tend ignore the ingredients completely. “Cetyl alcohol, an emollient used in many cosmetics, is essentially a wax,” says March. “Propylene glycol is a common humectant (meaning it brings moisture from the air to the skin), but it also enhances product and chemical penetration into the skin and blood stream. Sodium lauryl sulfate is a foaming agent, and skin and eye irritant, that disturbs the healthy lipid barrier of the skin, and parabens are a group of preservatives being phased out for potential health risks.”
Given that there’s actually nothing clean about this cleanser, it’s rather amazing that millions of women think their skin will freak out if they use anything else. “It may not irritate skin very much, but it probably won’t help it much either,” says Nicole Yih, Assistant Spa Director at the Mandarin Oriental New York. That’s because there’s nothing in Cetaphil that nurtures skin. No antioxidants that help fight free radical damage; not a dribble of omega-rich plant seed oils that fortify the skin barrier; and not a drop of skin-calming botanicals.
A cleanser that you use twice a day should be judged on what it gives your skin. Consider this your new cleanser criterion. —Melisse Gelula
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Who knew…now we do.
I am with you on this one!
I would go to a dermatologists if I had skin cancer, but I honestly don’t think they know that much about basic skin care, and this Cetaphil recommendation is evidence. As you say, look at the ingredients — it’s a chemical stew.
Beauty editors treat the dermatologists (and doctors) like the last word on everything, but neither have a holistic approach. In fact they tend to treat it as the enemy. And perhaps it is for them.
“Whether you think it’s keeping your skin healthy or not, it is absorbed into your bloodstream and research has proven almost all of the few ingredients in it are carcinogenic.”
I’d love to see the research that supports this claim. The owner of an all natural beauty store hardly seems like an authoritative source.
I’m not a fan of cetaphil, but the claims in this article are alarmist to say the least.
I agree Catherine. Completely alarmist and how would a cleanser absorb into your bloodstream? It is on your face for maybe two minutes tops and is washed away. I think hair color has a chance of being dangerous over time because it sits on your head for thirty or more minutes but not a cleanser. I don’t buy it.
whatever you put on the skin 26 seconds later it can be found in the bloodstream… great article. I am from the raw ingredient background…wouldn’t put 5 of these items on my skin!!! Never again. I know too much!
Yep, I completely agree with Catherine and Claudia. Sounds like scare tactics to me. And coming from an all natural beauty store owner hardly seems credible.
Catherine, Claudia, and Angie… please do your research! Anything you apply to your skin is absorbed into your bloodstream in less that 30 seconds. Laurel Sulfate has a pH level of 9 or 10. The healthy pH level for your skin is 5.5… when you was your face with something that has sulfate you are stripping your face from its protective layer called the acid mantle. You can be naive or stubborn and choose to look the other way… or you can research and educate yourself.
Everything you place on your skin topically goes into your bloodstream with in 26 seconds. It is more vital to watch what you use on your skin than what you eat. It is a fact, any physician will tell you this. No hype here. But unfortunately we have not been educated about this until recently in this country. There are people that go alittle nuts and try to alarm us about wellness , but this article is spot on.
“You can be naive or stubborn and choose to look the other way… or you can research and educate yourself.”
…which is why I asked for a source. It should be easy to provide a source if there is one available, and if you’re going to go around claiming that ingredients are *proven* to cause cancer, the burden of proof rests with you.
Repeating info from the article and telling people to do their research just makes it seem like you don’t have any credible sources to back up your claims.
Well+Good’s Melisse here: The ingredients in Cetaphil are water and chemicals, not plants. So we thought we’d point that out, especially since so many people claim the cleanser’s healthy. Compare that to food you’d choose to eat—a meal made from water and chemicals or plants—and you see our point.
As for sources, in the U.S., the EWG independently assesses the components of ingredients used in skin care: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com. The FDA does not regulate cosmetic ingredients for safety. However, we provided a PDF of the Dirty Dozen ingredients that have been cited as potentially toxic internationally. Some of these ingredients, like parabens and petroleum-based derivatives, which I’m sure you’ve read about, are already being phased out of skin care because of their potential health risks and links to cancer. Even Estee Lauder, a giant parent company of beauty brands, is phasing out these ingredients, which can’t be sold in many markets outside the United States. “Proven to cause cancer” is Spirit’s opinion, although it’s shared by many passionate beauty-product makers, who like organic farmers, want better choices in the skin-care aisle. As soon as someone conducts double-bind, peer-reviewed studies on cosmetic ingredients—and repeats them, which is what’s done with drugs—we’ll let you know.
Wow, how’s this for timing: Today, Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) are introducing the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010, which would close the gaping holes in federal law. It would phase out the most dangerous chemicals, set up a system to assess cosmetic ingredients for safety, require companies to be transparent about what’s in their products, and provide adequate resources for the FDA to do its job. http://huff.to/dfCgoF
As a *former* Cetaphil fan (as of a few minutes ago), I want to thank you for a very revealing article, Milisse.
I do sympathize with those who object to the alarmist tone, but I think they are reacting because there is such a huge gap between popular understanding and the latest medical research and epidemiological concerns about chemicals in our environment. Some of these ingredients are definitely toxic but as you point out in your follow-up it is hard to say exactly how toxic because the research hasn’t been done. So we are left guessing – is 30 seconds on our skin safe or not?
That is the real crux: should we be having to make these decisions? Not possible as we don’t have the skills or data. So taking a natural approach using generally recognized as safe ingredients is a much more sensible approach – it follows the “precautionary principle” of not using products that haven’t been proven safe.
The modern chemical and beauty industries have been able to conduct a huge biology experiment with few constraints in the last 50+ years – sometimes it works well and sometimes it turns out to be toxic, but I don’t want to be a guinea pig – we can and should do better.
By the way, as someone with very sensitive skin, I now have a hole in my regimen – can you recommend any very gentle face cleanser for sensitive skin?
Paul
Another timely item to look into – an awarenss raising video from the folks at Free Range Studios:
http://storyofstuff.org/cosmetics/
@Paul:
I wish I could send you this privately but there is a company out there called Arbonne that specializes in pure, safe and beneficial skincare.
The ABC Hair and Body Wash would probably do very well on your skin. This is a part of the Arbonne Baby Care line and is a very gentle cleanser.
Check out the website http://www.arbonne.com Yes, I am a consultant with the company and I joined Arbonne because I believe that my family’s skincare should be beneficial, not toxic.
I don’t normally post things like this but I really believe that Arbonne could be just what your skin is looking for!
@ Well + Good: it’s about dang time! Thanks for sharing.
Melisse here: I’ll be recommending a handful of natural facial cleansers for a variety of skin types next week on WellandGoodNYC.com. I list a handful right now on our Facebook page: http://bit.ly/9OyK8o
Nicotine patches and pain relief patches are just 2 kinds of patches now being used to deliver needed medication directly through the skin into the bloodstream without having to go through the digestive system. This may also become the preferred method of delivering vaccinations. If you doubt that the absorption rate, place some minced garlic between your toes and time how long it takes until you can “taste” it in your mouth.
I have been an Independent Arbonne Consultant for the past 2 years and have noticed a huge difference with my skin from using products that are botanically based and from a company whose motto is: Pure, Safe, and Beneficial.
Hi Catherine, Claudia, The last thing anyone should ever think of me as is alarmist. I respect people’s choices and preferences for natural or not-so-natural person care. I agree I should not have said “are carcinogenic” I should have said “are potentially toxic” which is a simple fact and what I usually do say but perhaps got carried away. You would like to see facts and sources? Well so would I! There is no law that says personal care products have to fully disclose their ingredients or test and prove their safety. http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/product.php?prod_id=8634 There are some big question marks and I’d like to be on the safe side of them. As for absorption, interestingly, Cetaphil instructions advise “leaving a thin film of CETAPHIL on the skin” but even if you don’t, is it hard to believe that a couple minutes of exposure to a chemical (daily), especially formulated with an absorption enhancer (prop glyc), could result in dermal absorption of the chemical into the bloodstream? Certainly we’ve heard of a nicotine patch? Now here’s something that actually IS FDA regulated and what does it say right on the box? “The nicotine begins to be absorbed into your bloodstream as soon as an appropriate area of your skin makes contact with the patch.”
Arbonne is a CULT!
Why so much talk about dangerous chemicals from people who SELL all natural skincare products (at very high prices I’d like to add), yet color their hair ( chemicals there, no?) and consume/DRINK alcohol? Isn’t all the same? Is one less dangerous that the other?
Melissa, perhaps the difference is choice. People can choose to drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes (even organic ones!), get botox, whatever they want! What isn’t right is when we are misled, or told it’s safe – even healthy, when it’s not, and are not able to make an educated choice. Botox comes with a list of side effects and warnings as required by law but skin cream doesn’t even though it enters the bloodstream. Is it because there are no side effects or is it because it’s not regulated? How can we know? I just want women to have the information and look into it for themselves. Remember Philip Morris had tons of “evidence” and “research” that “proved” cigarette smoking was NOT hazardous to your health. Some of us SELL natural solutions BECAUSE we care about womens health, not the other way around. And just like it costs organic farmers more to produce a $3 nectarine than a conventionally grown $1 nectarine, so does it cost an organic skin care formulator more to create a nutrient rich, non-toxic, ethical and sustainable cleanser more than it costs to create a chemical one. And sadly both the organic formulator and organics farmer’s margins are much smaller. Cetaphil probably spends less than $1 making their $7 cleanser while the “high priced” natural alternatives may be 70%-80% ingredient cost. I know of formulators who actually sell their cleansers AT COST, just hoping that as demand grows, eventually their costs will go down so they can eventually make a profit.
Spirit, if ARBONNE is selling AT COST, whom is paying for the WHITE MERCEDES BENZ vehicles that sales people are awarded?
I don’t consider Arbonne an organic skin care formulator for one. I’m certainly not familiar with their costs.
[...] Here it is. A well-written breakdown as to why Cetaphil is not the life saver so many think it is. I love dissecting skincare products and Cetaphil was the next on my list but Well and Good NYC did such a great job I don’t feel like I have to! Enjoy. “Cetyl alcohol, an emollient used in many cosmetics, is essentially a wax…Propylene glycol is a common humectant (meaning it brings moisture from the air to the skin), but it also enhances product and chemical penetration into the skin and blood stream. Sodium lauryl sulfate is a foaming agent, and skin and eye irritant, that disturbs the healthy lipid barrier of the skin” [...]
As a Cetaphil user for years I understand why people tend to freak out when they learn that it’s filled with some not-so-helpful ingredients. How can it be so bad if your dermatologist told you that it will help your skin? That it is so gentle, you don’t even need to use water to take it off! I used to think that there was something really wrong with my skin, I went to countless dermatologists looking for help. They claimed to understand my dry, sensitive skin and told me to use Cetaphil and Aquaphor. I believed that they were on my team, that these products would really help heal my skin. Well, let’s just say that the products didn’t help at all. I now know that my skin is totally normal BUT what it was sensitive to- were the irritants in those very products that the doctor was telling me to use.
So to all of those ladies (and men) who are skeptical about what folks are saying about Cetaphil- let me invite you to experiment- to stop using it- try one of the products that are recommended on the site- or even just try using raw/organic coconut oil to clean and moisturize your face…. I promise you, your skin will improve. My skin has changed 100% for the better since I stopped using Cetaphil and the other products that the dermatologist suggested.
68% off all things that you put on your skin are in your system in 28 seconds.
I have not used Arbonne products, but what I know of their products has not convinced me they are any different than the mainline cosmetic companies.
My approach to choosing skin care and cosmetic products is to only put things on my skin that I would feel safe to eat.
If you are interested in safe and healthy products for your skin, it pays to do a bit of research and find a producer you trust.
One producer I like is Daisy Blue Naturals. There are plenty of other excellent choices out there, but sadly I have yet to find one in a mainline retail store. Your local food co-op should be able to help you, but always read the label and ask questions!
Be well.
Thanks for the detailed information on Cetaphil. Never have used it and am thankful for that. The products I use are the polar opposite of Cetaphil. I am happy to say that they are 100% certified organic botanicals that nurtures the skin and is filled with anti-oxidants. I totally feel that they are feeding my skin with good health. You can see for yourself at http://www.MiBetterChoices.com
the skin is our largest organ… yes, i did say organ. that means it can easily absorb toxins just as you can absorb them through your mouth, nose and any other organs. hope this helps you understand how you might be absorbing toxins from cetaphil…
I agree with Jessa-I was a Cetaphil user for years. Then I started having symptoms similar to rosacea and just could not figure out what was going on. So, I threw out my whole skin care regime and started researching on the parabens, SLS, and other ingredients in practically all of the skin care lines. Once I tried more natural products the change in my skin was dramatic. Also, my life long struggle with dandruff and psoriasis ended too. In the beginning, I was skeptical about chemicals being absorbed through skin too, but like another poster said, if nicotine patches, birth control patches, etc, can be effective then there is something to it.
As for Arbonne, I’ve tried it and I’m not impressed. I know a lot of people who like their products but a little bit of research will show you that it’s got all the same chemicals (and sometimes more) than anything else.
I’m not selling anything and I think anyone who is looking to test this out will be able to find options out there that are inexpensive. I agree with Spirit, it’s about having the information to make the choice.
Michelle and Jessa, can you share which facial cleansers you are currently using? I have been a Cetaphil user for years, but am planning to switch.
Michelle, I have had a very similar experience to yours with symptoms similar to that of rosacea.
Thanks!
Hi Katy, Here are a couple options: http://wellandgoodnyc.com/2010/07/27/cleaner-cleansers-your-post-cetaphil-skin-care-regimen/
propylene glycol is in ingredient in antifreeze! Is that really what you want on your skin?
As for dermatologists, they aren’t trained on toxicology, so all they know is “does this product irritate the skin?” They don’t know that the very products they are recommending are causing greater problems than the ones they are trying to correct.
@Claudia and Catherine, numerous studies have shown that what you put on your skin is absorbed directly into your bloodstream. And, more so if you are in or just out of a hot shower. And, unlike the food you eat, what you put on your skin isn’t metabolized in the liver, it goes directly into the blood stream.
There are many studies out there, but the really big scientific ones that you’re looking for aren’t done on purpose. The companies that produce and use those ingredients don’t want the results. Much of the information on toxicity of these ingredients can be found in the MSDS sheets, which are produced by the companies themselves. These MSDS sheets aren’t the totality of knowledge, because of laws surrounding what is and isn’t required to be included, but it’s really telling when and MSDS sheet directly from the manufacturer note its toxicity. Deny the information all you want, that doesn’t make it less true.
Here’s a toxic ingredient list that comes directly from MSDS sheets.
Another reason this is important is because of the number of products we use everyday. Yes, there might be a small amount in this product, but combine that with the 11 other products women use every day or the 5 that men use, and you have a toxic soup. Then there is also the toxin we are exposed to in every other facet of our lives. And studies aren’t being done on what happens when all these different chemicals in your body combine. Also, since our food is so nutritionally void, our bodies aren’t able to eliminate toxins well.
@Melinda Mahnke, Wendy, Arbonne is a well known greenwasher. Their products are LOADED with synthetic toxins.
The only true way to know your skin care products are safe is if they are certified organic. 3rd party verification is the ONLY way to know if a companies claims of safeness, purity, etc are valid. And, if they are certified organic they are certified to food-grade standards. There are a lot of “fake” natural brands out there. If you go to the Organic Consumers Association they have a list of “fake” organic products to boycott and a list of truly safe, organic, high quality products to “buy-cott.” So, that’s a great place to look for truly safe, natural and organic products. Just go to the Organic Consumers Association website and search for “Coming Clean.”
These are the only products I will use on my skin, and more importantly, on my daughter’s skin http://www.YourOranicLife.com.
[...] few weeks ago, New York City-based wellness blog Well + Good NYC wrote about the not-so-awesome ingredients in favorite cheap face cleanser Cetaphil. If you have ever wondered about the ingredients in your cosmetics, soaps, and lotions, this is a [...]
I’m pretty sure a LOT of big brand creams/cleansers, soaps etc. anything you apply to your skin contains some kind of potentially harmful chemical. I’ve checked every single chemical and all has been considered “safe” for cosmetic purposes (when used abidingly to safety standards). Cetaphil has been approved by dermatologists and doctors alike, am I not supposed to trust it despite possibly years of substantial experiment and testing unlike some other products? It was even recommended by my dermatologist.
By the way, I just went through a bunch of products and their ingredients, almost all contain some kind of “paraben”, at safety level. I think a lot of the time, people think some product is not chemically harsh only because they only read the “active” ingredients listed on the product which does NOT fully describe the entire list of chemicals actually put into the product.
Sorry for multiple posts! But I’d like to share something interesting I found from that website you cited.
St. Ives Apricot Scrub has a hazard score of 9/10 which is on the high end of the scale. A bit of surprise for something that sounds so organic, natural and friendly. Hehe.
Ingredients like these are EXACTLY why I usa ARBONNE products !!!!!!!!! Pure-Safe-Beneficial Nuff said !!
Yes! Let’s get that info out there! I wrote a blog about Cetaphil myself because I was shocked by the ingredient list.
#1 recommended cleanser even for babies. Those doctors need to be educated.
MichelleH- Please tell us what products you are currently using. I have psoriasis and haven’t found any products to help. THANKS
Next time, please seek comment from an independent expert. If you think dermatologists have a conflict, what about spa owners who apparently have no relevant science background?
To the Arbonne sellers… some Arbonne products contain toxic chemicals too! Look up the ingredients on http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com. Their undereye lotion/cream burns my skin! Hate it.
Wow, so many opinions, so few facts. When it comes to skincare, I would rather take advice from dermatologists who have spent years studying the effects of beauty products on the skin. I can wiki the ingredients from my favourite cleanser any time I want, but it takes a little more to understand it’s interaction with the body.
For one thing, there is absolutely ZERO systemic uptake of any ingredients in Cetaphil into the bloodstream – the molecules are just too large to pass through the skin barrier. Which is the skin’s function, by the way: to stop harmful environmental factors getting into the body.
Chemicals are used for many different purposes, but what is important is the concentration. Propylene glycol can act as a solvent in low conc., or as a humectant to increase the water holding potential of the skin. Either way, just because something is organic doesn’t make it good for you, or even safe.
Cetaphil is recommended by dermatologists because it has a huge body of clinical evidence supporting it. Sure, pharma companies are the devil, but they do they studies to prove beyond reasonable doubt that their products are safe. First, try getting a study showing clear benefits in your Arbonne products published in a peer-reviewed paper. It doesn’t have to be a double blind, but multi-centered would add some legitimacy to a faultering argument.
Thanks Eva, for calling out these claims about the permeability of skin for what they are–bollocks.
If 68% (a figure mentioned above by a couple of people I think) of all chemicals made their way into our bloodstream after being in contact with our skin for only 30 seconds, or whatever it was, we’d be about as vulnerable as Bubble Boy.
We’d also be able to deliver all medications through transdermal patches. But we can’t. Hence injections, etc. Drugs like nicotine are unusual in being able to penetrate the skin to enter the bloodstream.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/105265-cetaphil-gentle-skin-cleanser-ingredients/
explains why their ingredients are not as bad as you think. :)
Loved the discussion on Cetaphil. As someone with troublesome skin and have used Cetaphil for years I do hope it is still safe to use. I rarely use anything else on my skin – it is non greasy and makes my skin smooth and feeling good. Hope all the bad chemicals it reportedly has don’t get absorbed into the blood stream as some describe… I await more info with baited breath… thanks
Melisse here: This Livestrong article sounds like it was written by the manufacturer of Cetaphil. It’s exactly the kind of information that our article takes issue with.
The fact of the matter, is that the only difference between the plant based cleansers and Cetaphil is? Well, who knows. You may get your ingredients from plants, but you have to extract them somehow. Maybe a distillation? Or a reaction with another chemical? You don’t just squeeze a plant and all it’s vital components are somehow magically separated. You need CHEMISTRY to separate them! And the chemicals in Cetaphil? Some of these were likely created by a reaction in a lab or even with plant-based material. If you wanted to make “all-natural soap”, you get some bones from an animal or you buy chemicals. But both would still require a CHEMICAL REACTION to occur for the end product to be achieved. The only difference would be the bi-products of the reactions which may or may not wind up in the final product.
I’m a chemist!
My point was that your product contains chemicals as well. You are either misleading your customers on purpose or you are just ignorant of chemistry and how it works. Or both possibly.
[...] It’s a buzzkill to discover that your favorite facial cleanser—and one that dermatologists love to recommend— is not so clean. [...]
A lot of my clients tell me that they use Cetaphil for their skin as recommended by their dermatologists. I educate them on the unhealthy benefits of this product and always remind them to read the ingredients.
I offer organic facial treatments and am a big believer in organic products.
Did I miss the “M.D.” or “Ph.D.” after your sources’ names?
These people aren’t qualified to makes these statements.
So, who is dead or sick and the cause for it has been determined to be the use of cosmetics containing chemicals ?
So you’re saying everything that our doctors are telling us is wrong, and that the only “right” answers come from all natural hippies and uncited research… because anyone with a degree is corrupted by corporations?
Every day people smoke, breath smog, swim in polluted lakes and drink polluted water… but you can’t rub a gram of soap on your face without getting cancer?
maybe there is some truth to this, but i dont think that truth is worth changing anything, i see noone dieing.
I’m so tired of articles that make eye-catching claims simply to get attention, while offering no sources or credible research to back it up. You should be ashamed for peddling your own agenda under the guise of helping others. As an actual scientific researcher, I would just like to stress to the less-informed readers that if there are no references to credible journal findings, then please do not take any of it seriously. (That goes for all articles!)
Cetaphil also tests on animals, and there are so many alternatives now for products that do not test on animals. Yet another strike against Cetaphil.
How does a surface cleanser get absorbed into your bloodstream? Junk science strikes again!
[...] Read the rest of the post here. [...]
I started switching between Cetaphil and Cerave cleansers a couple of years ago when I began getting severe facial eczema from… who knows? The hundreds of patch tests and experimental diets haven’t been able to pinpoint a cause reliably.
What I do know is that my skin has improved significantly since I STOPPED trying new natural and organic products.
As my dermatologist explained, and as I’ve found in daily use, for people with truly sensitive skin, botanical, plant based ingredients do more harm than good. Many of the popular plant-based ingredients can and do irritate skin.
I care about my health AND use Cetaphil cleanser. It’s unfortunate that so many followers of blogs like this and Well+Good believe those two things are mutually exclusive.
I, along with others above, am wondering where the alternatives are (other than Arbonne, it seems like everyone that likes it is ALSO selling it)! Everyone has an agenda here.
I’m a bit bewildered by all these comments and arguments, particularly from people that consider the article to be scare-mongering then defend their use of Cetaphil by saying that companies ‘test to ensure their products are safe’. What rubbish! Remember when thousands of women around the world were breathing in formaldahyde while getting their ‘safe’ Keratin hair treatment? OOPS! Nobody is saying sorry to those women now are they?
‘If in doubt – leave it out’ is the motto that I live by… and for the record my skin has been great since I switched to natural products such as Living Nature. I also make my own skin serums and cleansing oils and share the recipes on my blog. The best cleanser you can ever use on your skin (and I’m an ex beauty ed so I’ve tried them all) is an oil blend, massaged in and removed with a hot steamy face cloth. Olive oil/Castor oil blend works beautifully, as does Avocado oil. Here’s the surprising thing: we actually don’t need to put this manufactured crap on our faces to look good! SO… I repeat ‘if in doubt, leave it out’.
OH, I also used Cetaphil on my teenage acne (before I knew better). It did sweet F.A. to benefit my skin at all. I’m sincerely astonished by the following. I found Ten O Six much more preferable as far as chemical cleansers went.
If you google oil cleansing, you’ll realise there are many believers. Here are my thoughts for those interested: http://nzgreenqueen.blogspot.com/2010/05/i-heart-oil-cleansing.html
[...] few weeks ago, New York City-based wellness blog Well + Good NYC wrote about the not-so-awesome ingredients in favorite cheap face cleanser Cetaphil. If you have ever wondered about the ingredients in your cosmetics, soaps, and lotions, this is a [...]
“Chemicals” are automatically bad and “botanicals” and “natural sources” automatically good? That’s awesome, because I’m about to debut a cleanser made of 100% organic, natural hemlock and poison ivy. And be sure to avoid the dangerous chemical dihydrogen monoxide (fatal if inhaled, and present in all tumors and cancerous growths — why would you put that on your skin??!)
Also, “proven to cause cancer” cannot be an opinion. Jesus.
I agree with the commenter above – chemicals are not automatically bad. I have sensitive skin and everything I have ever tried that says “natural” or “organic” or lists all these plant products usually ends up irritating the heck out of my skin!
Personally, I use Cetaphil. I wander off to other products, but I come back. Everything else makes my skin freak out! But I still need to get the makeup and daily grunge off my face.
Plant seed oils? Oil?! On my skin?! Tried it. Acne breakout! Witchhazel? Tried it. Rosacea flare up. And I can’t even describe what the supposed panacea of tea tree oil did to my skin. I’ve put all-natural home concoctions with everything from avocados to apple cider vinegar to mayonnaise to tea on my face and never noticed one iota of difference – well no positive difference.
I’m all for finding kind to the earth/kind to our bodies solutions but ripping on a product that millions of people swear by without any hard evidence that it causes harm is bad journalism. AND it is insulting to the people who use the product and see good results. “No, no. Don’t trust your eyes, trust me.” And since most of those users/readers are probably women we don’t need the extra dose of infantalizing condescension.
And to the commenter who says that the best cleanser is rubbing in an oil blend and then steaming it off…again – acne and rosacea. Either one of those things alone would kill skin like mine. I’m sure it does work great for you and plenty of people, but to claim that it’s the best thing anyone can use with such authority (former beauty ed or not) does a disservice to anyone reading. The point is, don’t assume you know what’s best for everyone. What’s good for one person is not good for another. Anecdotes are not data.
It’s OK to question, it’s not OK to be an idealogue. We should all stop writing in such sweeping terms. I’m all for keeping it natural/organic/whole/green but these terms get thrown around and lose all meaning.
A – don’t trash a product without citing relevant case studies that TRULY back you up and B – keep the trashing to a minimum in any case. Instead, offer tried and true alternatives, BUT be honest with people that just because it’s made from a plant doesn’t make it safe for your skin.
[...] – This popular, purportedly healthy facial cleanser is actually no friend to your face. (Well + Good NYC) [...]
I agree with MichelleH. I have been using Cetaphil for at least 8 years as recommended by my dermatologist. I was pleased for a while. However, for at least 6 years I am now experiencing issues similar to rosacea/eczema on my neck and chest area only. My dermatologist cannot 100% tell me what is going on. I have just now thought it may be Cetaphil. I have an appointment with my dermatologist in a couple of days and plan to share my thoughts on the possibility it may be Cetaphil. However, I am at a lost as what to use on my very dry sensitive face and neck. My neck burns and itches all of the time(both day & night)and is quite red.I have also tried Arbonne and was not pleased at all. I threw out a lot of expensive products. I am open to any suggestions anyone may have.
After a winter of horrific acne breakouts, I tried to revamp my skin care routine and simplify. I got rid of everything and started using Cetafil Gentle Facewash. It did nothing to help my skin calm down. A couple of friends noticed my misery, and recommended Origins Clean Energy Oil to me as a facial cleanser. Love it!! Breakouts only happen occassionally and not nearly so severe. It’s weird using oil to wash your skin, but mine has benefitted tremendously from ditching soap cleansers for oil. Also use Malin + Goetz SPF moisturizer for my face after washing. First SPF anything that doesn’t cause my face to break out like crazy.
[...] at night (because I have combination skin). Both are free of the waxes and junk you’ll find in Cetaphil, which I plan to lambast soon. The goal is not a dry tight feeling when you wash; it’s the opposite. Sometimes I do like a [...]
i thin k what some people forget is that our skin is on the surface and having a strong surface immunity is key to healthy, vital and radiant skin. Whether or not ingredients penetrate the skin, which they do, it is important to understand that using a product that strips the surface of its protective barrier, i.e. oils, leaves your skin exposed to harsh external elements and as well is the reason so many people find themselves with “sensitive” skin. I say the skin is sensitized after repeated stripping. A protective barrier is key for healthy skin immunity and when you use products (plural guys because lets face it, if you use cleansers like cetaphil most likely your moisturizers, eye creams, shampoos, body washes, toners, shaving creams and sunscreens are also filled with sensitizing ingredients) like this every day and 2-3 times per day, your skin will be unhealthy and this is when your organs begin to malfunction. Our skin protects us systemically and as well our skin regulate sour temperature and our endocrine functioning. i would make sure to keep it is as nourished topically as possible and the way to do this is to eliminate harsh products. after washing the face or body, it should never feel chapped or dry. stay soft guys:)
After a eight months or so of Cetaphil use I developed severe eczema on my face (due to a complete stripping away of my skin’s protective barrier). It took derms MONTHS to figure this out – the entire time completely refusing to acknowledge cetaphil as the potential culprit. I took it upon myself to eliminate Cetaphil from my regimen after everything else seemed to fail. My eczema improved immediately but is something I still suffer with to this day. I can now only use a cleanser that is purely shea butter and organic cotton. Literally the only two ingredients. I’m so glad for this article and I wish derms would wake up and realize how their mindless complicity with brands like Cetaphil deeply affects people’s lives.
My dermotologist recommended Cetaphil when I was having an allergic reaction to cleansers, moisturizers, serums, just about everything was irritating my face. He said to stop using everything & just wash my face with Cetaphil. I tried it & then I read what was in it, I couldn’t believe he had recommended it to me. I through it out immediately. What garbage!
[...] ingredient lists of anything but the 100% Organic Argan Oil. Several months ago, I discovered the terrors of Cetaphil, which unfortunately I had been using my entire life on my sensitive skin. In the past and lately [...]
[...] dissolving the cell membranes of your skin cells” makes me wish I hadn’t used generic Cetaphil for so many years… (some good comments on that post, by the way!) Readers, I’m all [...]
The information about your skin and absorption of anything put on it is true. My husband is a Neurologist and has verified this. I was an RVP with Arbonne until I resigned from the company this year. I tried products from NYR Organic (all CERTIFIED organic, formulated and made in the UK) and could not believe the difference. I’m not saying Arbonne is bad, but I don’t believe them to be the purest, safest or most beneficial. They do have alot of chemicals. Probably better than most on the market, but I found NYR to be better – and, oh yeah, 1/3 of the cost! Try it – you’ll be surprised.
I hear all of you loud and clear. I am in a very small part of the population whose skin is so sensitive that I react to everything. If the product says for sensitive skin, then you ladies will not have a problem with it. For me, I could end up with a red, swollen, rashy face or eyes. You are correct, when you say all of the ingredients are man-made. I cannot use “natural,” plant-based products because I will break out. I cannot wear fur or wool. So thank God for synthetic fabrics or I couldn’t wear a winter coat made out of thick fabric. Getting back to Cetaphil. Everytime I use a facial wash, even a dermatologist recommended one that requires the use of water or scrubbing, I break out. With Cetaphil, no water is required and it does not irritate my skin. I would love to use a product that made my skin look better or gets rid of dead skin cells, but in the end, it never works for me. Unfortunately, Cetaphil is all I have.
I have used cetaphil for years. I used to use a couple of versions of it made by dermatologists but they stopped making it and I don’t remember what their ingredients were now. I am not happy about the ingredients in cetaphil, however, I don’t know what else to use. I also cannot tolerate essential oils, oil and fragrances. I develop eye and skin irritations and acne from these, so I’m at a loss as to what else to use. I need fragrance free products without oils for the most part. Why can’t someone produce more of these for those of us with that type of sensitivity? I’m working on making my own now. I can’t use soaps on my face at all either. I tried switching to a fragrance free goat milk soap but I had a reaction to that with eye irritation and acne.
[...] I'm sure there are better ones out there if you want to spend more than a minute researching it. http://www.wellandgoodnyc.com/2010/0…n-any-favors/# As for the salicylic acid – I hadn't heard you weren't supposed to use it in pregnancy! Thanks for [...]
[...] the internet recently, I ran across an article that exposed my favorite skin cleanser as a “toxic sludge.” I was shocked. But more than that, I was angry. My dermatologist had recommended the [...]
One of my children has suffered all his life with severe eczema and skin allergies. All of the Doctor’s we have seen have recommended Cetaphil (among others). I don’t believe any of them are well educated about toxicity and the skin. We all must know what we are putting on our skin and in our mouthes. It matters.