Last week I was talking to a reader about how many chemicals are in most facial cleansers and she said “That’s why I use Cetaphil!”
I nearly fell out of my chair.
Darling readers, I feel it is my duty to inform you: Despite what 9 out of 10 dermatologists say, Cetaphil is the devil. It may look harmless and smell harmless but by golly it’s craptastic. One plastic jug contains just eight ingredients: water, cetyl alcohol, propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfate, stearyl alcohol, methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben. Everything but the water is chemically manufactured, and propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfate, and three (three!) parabens are potentially cancer-causing. Which means, there is not a single beneficial ingredients in this cleanser. So what’s a girl to do? Step one: Put your Cetaphil in the trash. Step two: Pick up a natural, inexpensive alternative. Two of my favorites: Suki Sensitive Skin Cleansing Bar ($11.95 ) and Yes to Cucumbers Towelettes ($5.99). What are some of yours?
For more depressing data on Cetaphil, check out this fantastic reporting from Well + Good NYC.
Filed Under: Cetaphil, natural and organic facial cleansers, natural face wash, organic cleanser, parabens are bad, suki sensitive cleansing bar, yes to cucumbers facial towellettes
Hello lovelies! I'm Elizabeth Dehn, a beauty writer + lifestyle editor who's equally fanatical about lip gloss as juice cleansing. I live in Minneapolis with Mr. Bets and our white lab, Molly Thomas . . . 
[...] answer is always a resounding, unequivocal “yes!” Considering the general outcry over Bets’ recent Cetaphil post, now like a good time to share a few of my favorite healthy facial cleansers. Consider this the [...]
Wow. I have been reading Beauty Bets off and on for a little while now-but reading this post, I was disappointed of Bets’ reply of “Use that beautiful brain I know you’ve got and dig a little deeper”-really?! Just because someone doesn’t share your view on a certain product doesn’t mean that they’re wrong. I think it’s absolute rubbish to try and push your views on someone else. I personally prefer a more natural take on cleansers-but it’s also not the most important face product to focus on. Cleansers that contains things like antioxidants are great for what they are-but in reality, most people don’t leave cleansers on their skin for long enough to reap the benefits. I’ve used Cetaphil in the past when my skin was going through a particularly sensitive phase and it worked wonders to mildly cleanse my skin without irritation or stripping it of moisture. Dermatologists recommend this cleanser for a REASON. There is, as of now, no proof that things like parabens are dangerous to use. So it’s great to say that you don’t like Cetaphil and to offer your reasons why along with some alternatives, but to say that someone is wrong and “the fact that you are waiting for the FDA to guide you as a consumer tells me I’m going to lose this battle” is beyond condescending and just plain rude. I honestly lost respect for you and your blog when I read this comment. No one likes a beauty blogger that tells them what to do and how to live their life by shoving it down their throat. Good day.
Thanks for your feedback, Dara! That’s the beauty of a free country: I get to have an opinion and you get to read whichever blogs you want. I’m sure you’ll find plenty out there whose opinions you agree with.
I just posted this on Pioneer Woman’s Blog…I googled “even water irritates my face” and came up with the olive oil/castor oil method for washing my face,which has GREATLY improved my rosecea, and now use olive oil as the only lotion/moisturizer…I just have it in a pump dispenser on my bathroom counter, and apply it immediately after the shower(or even before as well for the driest areas…it’s wonderful and CHEAP.
Yes!!! I love your story, Amelia! If only we could shout it from the roof tops. Although Pioneer Woman is the next best thing . . . THANK YOU for sharing. I’m so happy you found something wonderful that works for you! xo
With PHENOXYETHANOL and chemically produced fatty alcohols in Yes to Cucumbers, it does not much better….
[...] why cetaphil is the devil – gah! i used to use that [...]
[...] always look to Beauty Bets for beauty advice so when she posted about the harmful chemicals in Cetaphil, I was inspired to be more naturally beautiful. The good [...]
I thought cetaphil was good for me too, my dermatologist recommended it for my eczema. Thank you for bringing this to light, I think a lot of other people thought it was a healthy cleanser to use; good thing I didn’t buy backups!
Give Arbonne’s RE9 Cleanser a try. Made without parabens, mineral oil, is vegan certified AND really works! Also, their Arbonne Baby Care (ABC) product line is fantastic for sensitive skin … all ages and all skin types. Email me if you are interested lsgeorgiadis (at) gmail.com. Thanks.
I really really like The Body Shop’s Seaweed Cleanser. I use it like Cetaphil and just wipe it off, rather than rinse. It’s very gentle and soothing, plus it fights oil without being too drying!
I read the back of my Cetaphil bottle for the first time tonight and was a little horrified. On googling “environmentally-friendly cetaphil alternative”, I found this post. Thank you! Now, one request: the Suki bar you recommend contains coconut. Could you do a post on why we should all be avoiding coconut/coconut oil like the plague? That, too, is incredibly bad. The production of palm oil is responsible for massive deforestation and habitat destruction. Not something we all-natural eco types should be supporting.
Happy to help, Emily! Coconut oil is not to be confused with palm oil. It’s actually an environmentally sound and incredibly nourishing alternative to. Read on: http://www.saynotopalmoil.com/
You will also appreciate this coconut oil top 10, from one of my natural beauty gurus at No More Dirty Looks and Good: http://www.good.is/post/ten-amazing-things-you-can-do-with-coconut-oil/
I’m using cetaphil moisturising lotion MD dermoprotektos because I have skin damaged by acne treatment and I can’t find anything that don’t break me out, give me enough moisture ( with other cream my skin flake off ) and have good price.
maybe you have some advice? I always read what is inside things I put into my skin..but I’m helpless with day cream..
WOW! This is the first time I have read the truth about Cetaphil! I have always heard and read that this product was such a wonder. So I decided to try it out. Huge mistake…every time I tried to use this cleaner I would break out in small little bumps like hives. I don’t have sensitive skin really so I really didn’t understand the break outs. Through trail and error, I discovered that Cetaphil was the culprit and into the trash it went!! Thank you for putting the truth out there!
@Chianti – I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the same story! Glad you identified the culprit – good riddance!
I recently got a facial that came with a skin consultation and the guy showed me the ingredients in my Cetaphil. Turns out that sodium lauryl sulfate is an ingredient in dishwasher detergent (I double checked when I got home-it’s definitely there)! No wonder my fair sensitive skin was always pink! I switched to Dr Schwab Sensitive Cleanser which is an amazing face wash, really for all skin types. No more pink!
I agree, making smarter choices as to what you put on your face or use on your body is very important.
I am trying but it’s hard, I use this site as a reference: (my apologies, at the time of posting the site was down)
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com
Iv used cetaphil for years and its kept my skin clear and healthy. Iv always been complimented on my skin, because of cetaphil. Things like neutrogena are too harsh and cause bad break outs. Even though you don’t like cetaphil it does work for a lot of people, and I’m sure there are many mainstream facial cleansers that are terrible for your face,
These do not seem to get the same recognition as cetaphil. Cetaphil is not the only “evil” product on the market. People are now rushing to other products cause of blogs like these about cetaphil, but are rushing right into other bad products.
Right on! Why put even questionable chemicals like parabens on your skin when there are plenty of wonderful product out there that do not included potential carcinogens. I think the more we say about these products the better so we can put some pressure on manufacturers to not use cheap preservatives like parabens. It seems crazy that we also have to educated our dermatologists, but so be it. They are to their credit interested in saving us money at the cosmetics counter by recommending drugstore brands, but be more careful about what’s in there. There are many brands on the drugstore shelves that don’t contain potentially harmful chemicals. Thanks for bringing this to our attention.
I never understood the hype surrounding Cetaphil. I prefer natural soaps like Dr. Bronners. People tell me that soap should never touch facial skin BUT I like the clean feeling I get, so I’ll continue using my DB : )
Here is an idea, use what works. So many, health nuts, are anti anything that wasn’t derived from a skunks ass. Here is another idea, stop judging people who don’t want to stink. I’ done, I am sure anything I say will be “the devil.”
I think most of the people who use Cetaphil have sensitive/intolerant skin. It’s really difficult and painful because even organic and natural products can cause irritations. I really wish I could find a moderately-priced cleanser without all these parabens. Even Physiogel has them. I really wish I could replace my Cetaphil or Physiogel cleanser. Something available in South East Asia and is not too pricey.
I have always been suspicious of cetaphil! Turns out my suspicions are right. It’s nice that its a product with few ingredients (gentle skin cleanser) but not when almost the only good ingredient is h20! I’m going to the dermatologist next week about my red/sensitive skin and I wanna ask him what products I should be using… I hope he does not recommend this, cause I’ve heard lots of derms do!
As some of you have mentioned, having sensitive and acne prone skin is challenging! I’ve been there, although my entire journey has not taken me the natural route I am finding the more simple, more natural products really are the answer. It is true it takes some effort and research to find what works specifically to you. I believe no two sensitive skin acne prone individuals require the same answer. The purpose of the article was to encourage us all to really consider what we are putting on our skin. True, many products use paraffins and unsafe chemicals but Beauty Bets can’t write and shouldn’t be expected to write on ALL the evil products available, she choose to write about one of the most commonly used after a conversation concerning this product. Regardless of what is important to you, this article has a useful purpose. If you understand which ingredients you react to you will have a much easier time finding something that works for you. I recently started using Noxzema which really isn’t better but I can understand the ingredients list and it is a very gentle cleanser. I have also found Dr. Bronner’s + Coconut oil makes a wonderful gentle cleanser, for gentle exfoliation you can add a small amount of rice flour, cinnamon or baking soda.
@Carly Thank you for being a voice of reason and contributing to the conversation. So glad you found some cleansers that work for you. I’m intrigued by your DIY scrub . . .