Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

Cleanser~€11
Maya's read

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser is a cleanser built around Glycerin, Vitamin B3 and Pro-vitamin B5. It leans strongest on hydration, barrier repair, brightening / tone. Best suited to dry, dehydrated and oily skin. Go slow — the active is potent enough to irritate if overused.

Skip it if your barrier is already sensitised or compromised — the acids can sting broken or over-exfoliated skin.

What it delivers

Hydration10
Barrier repair9
Brightening / tone7
Oil-control & blemishes8
Anti-aging6

How it feels A low-lather, lotion-type cleanser that wipes or rinses off without stripping — kind to dry or sensitive skin. — estimated from the formula

What's in it that matters

The molecule doing the workGlycerinHumectant · strong evidence

Classic humectant with strong evidence for improving skin hydration and supporting barrier when combined with emollients.

  • Vitamin B3Hero Activestrong evidence

    Multitasking vitamin that improves barrier, reduces redness, regulates oil, helps with pores and pigmentation with strong clinical support.

  • Pro-vitamin B5Supporting Activestrong evidence

    Humectant and soothing ingredient that helps calm irritation and supports barrier repair and recovery.

Key facts

Type
Cleanser
Key actives
Glycerin, Vitamin B3, Pro-vitamin B5
Fragrance
None detected
Fungal-acne (Malassezia) safe
Likely, by the formula
Pregnancy
No flagged actives
Ingredients
10 listed
Typical price
~€11

How to use it

In the evening, and not every night — 2–3 times a week is plenty. Follow with a moisturiser, and wear sunscreen the next day.

Keep it away from

  • Retinoids (retinol, tretinoin)
  • Benzoyl peroxide
  • Other exfoliating acids the same night
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Free from

  • Fragrance-free
  • Alcohol-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Paraben-free

Best for

  • Dry
  • Dehydrated
  • Oily
  • Combo

Worth knowing

Nothing our knowledge base would flag: no high-comedogenic or pregnancy-caution actives here.

Common questions

Is Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser good for dry skin?

By our read of the formula, it suits dry, dehydrated, oily skin. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser is a cleanser built around Glycerin, Vitamin B3 and Pro-vitamin B5. It leans strongest on hydration, barrier repair, brightening / tone. Best suited to dry, dehydrated and oily skin. Go slow — the active is potent enough to irritate if overused.

How do you use Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser?

In the evening, and not every night — 2–3 times a week is plenty. Follow with a moisturiser, and wear sunscreen the next day.

What are the key ingredients in Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser?

The actives that do the work are Glycerin, Vitamin B3, Pro-vitamin B5. The rest of the list is texture, preservatives and emulsifiers that hold the formula together.

Does Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser contain fragrance?

No. By our reading of the ingredient list it is fragrance-free, which is a plus for sensitive or reactive skin.

The full formula, decoded

Every ingredient on the label, in the order it appears (highest amount first). We link the 7 our library knows, name what each one does, and flag anything that can irritate or clog. The rest we leave plain, nothing is hidden.

  1. AquaSolvent (base)
  2. GlycerinHumectant
  3. PanthenolHumectant
  4. mild irritant
  5. PantolactoneSkin conditioning
  6. Xanthan GumThickener
  7. Sodium BenzoatePreservative
  8. Citric AcidExfoliant
    mild irritant
Copy the raw INCI list

Aqua, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Pantolactone, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid

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We don't make or sell skincare of our own. So there's nothing here we're trying to push, just an honest read of whether this formula suits your skin.

Compare it with…

Chemical structure of Glycerin