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 . . . 
i completely agree! cetephil is awful.
ever since i went green beauty wise my skin has been so much better.
currently i’m using the kahina giving beauty cleanser and i quite like it!
Oh, dear! I was recommended Cetaphil by my doctor, my dermatologist, my friends…And (perhaps as a result), it’s the one thing that has escaped my scrutiny. Thanks for the heads-up; it’s most definitely on the way out!
I use organic honey as a face wash in the morning (organic because it’s better to leave pesticides off your skin). It’s hydrating, anti-bacterial, and tastes good if you accidentally get some in your mouth. At night I use Amal Oils Savon Noir, which is more or less a liquid soap (in the true soap sense). It’s a bit more drying than the honey, but it’s good for getting makeup off (along with the Clarisonic!).
Wow, I am shocked! I started using Cetaphil at the recommendation of my doctor for the dry patches I kept getting on my face. The dry patches have turned into huge rashes that have left scars! I was so puzzled why my skin wasn’t clearing up and now I know why. I’m switching TODAY!!! Thank you!
The word is out about parabens, however many doctors are waiting for the final studies to prove the danger of use.
Cetaphyl has been a user freindly, affordable, begnin cleanser that helped people minimize skin reactions. Although organic cleanser are healthier, they can create huge allergic reaction issues….no different than food sensitivities. A nice synthetic cleanser for those who wear cosmetics is a must. We refer those clients to FREE and CLEAR from Vanicream. Safe, simple and affordable.
OMG i just started using cetaphil a few days ago and it’s actually breaking me out. And I never get breakouts from products.. thanks for this post, MANY people think that cetaphil is a good choice (including me)!
This article and others like it remind me why I use Lemongrass Spa products. 97-100% chemical-free.
I can see where you are coming from. Wanting a product that is all natural. But you cant deny the fact that Cetephil is the best product out there. Every single doctor and derm I have ever seen has told me to get off any other crap I am using and just stick to cetephil. It is also the only product that I can use to get my eye makeup off without stinging.
I think your reasons are valid but in the real world I, like many people cant afford an all organic lifestyle. I pick and choose what is important to me, and since I am not ingesting this product I will use it until I die or until the FDA says that using this product is detrimental to my health.
When my husband started working for Burt’s Bees I started reading all our labels and was SHOCKED at how many were unnatural—especially Cetaphil. So sad what we think we’re using.
Dermatologists must have some sort of deal with the Cetaphil (and Dove) folks becuase they all seem to “prescribe” the two cleansers exclusively. I jumped on the Cetaphil bandwagon many years ago thinking I was missing out but I HATED it. I thought I must be the only one since it seemed everyone else raved about it. The entire Suki line is my new list of faves. I’ve yet to try the cleansing bar since my local store doesn’t carry it but it’s next on my cleanser list.
I would much rather have a natural reaction to something natural than put that crap on my face. I like Aveda (purifying gel cleanser for my oily skin), and Eminence Organics.
Acure Organics has a lovely mid-priced cream cleanser that is ideal for winter. I think it’s $14. I have only seen it available online.
Aubrey Organics has a totally decent cream cleanser for “mature” skin, but which I use on my 33 yr old skin. It’s available in every natural food store, it seems, and is only about $6.
Cetaphil is just dirty, dirty, dirty. And Vanicream, while a better option, is by no means clean. Most Vanicream products have petroleum-based ingredients, proplyne glycol, PEG stearates, and other yuckies.
Oh Dana. Where to begin! I was hoping that the list of ingredients speak for themselves (check out http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ if you need more info) but the fact that you are waiting for the FDA to guide you as a consumer tells me I’m going to lose this battle. It wasn’t long ago that the FDA approved of cigarettes. Use that beautiful brain I know you’ve got and dig a little deeper. I think you’ll find that it’s empowering to take accountability for your own health. As for the cost of going natural, that’s a myth that was disproved long ago. All you have to do is visit your local drugstore, co-op or kitchen pantry to know that. For example: Olive oil is not only one of the oldest and gentlest cleansing methods in the book, but will take of your eye makeup and costs LESS than Cetaphil.
I find it sad that products that contain synthetic chemicals are still being recommended by specialists who are assisting those with dry skin, acne etc. I have found in my life that since having removed all synthetic chemicals from skincare, hair care and household cleaning products, not only do I feel better but I no longer have skin issues. Ditch the toxins, ladies!
What about Vanicream? That’s what is recommended at the Mayo Clinic
Oh, I can’t agree with you more! Cetaphil certainly is the devil no matter how inoffensive might seem. And to the “paramedical esthetician”, here’s a study I found recently about methylparaben, was published in the medical journal Carcinogenesis in September 2011. carcin.oxfordjournals.org/content/32/11/1724.full
It basically says that methylparaben blocks a drug called Tamoxifen that’s used to treat breast cancer! And as an addition, healthy cells from high-risk patients, when exposed to methylparaben, started to behave like cancerous cells. Do you need anything more?
And people that formulate organic and natural products is not stupid, they’re not like chemists and scientists that use people as guinea pigs and wait to see how some crap that they invented works. Organic and naturals formulators (not all of them of course, only the ones that are really commited to do healthy skincare) do their research before using some ingredient, warn people about possible allergens on their products like nut oils or berry allergies or directly they avoid them, try to find only the purest, the organic, the wildcrafted, the unrefined. They know how to do the things right. So, the truth is that there are less allergic reaction possiblities while using an organic cleanser than with a synthetic cleanser actually. And I bet you never used a natural cleanser, so how can you suppose such thing?
Put the http on the link because I missed that when copying it!
Awful! I used to use Cetaphil back in high school, but once I got into the beauty world, and especially as an esthetician, I will never look back.
I’m a huge fan of Arcona. I usually switch between the Toner Tea Bar and the Berry Bar depending on the time of year. My second favorite line is Acure, which is less expensive but still all natural.
Oh no, I have been using it forever and just bought a new bottle the other day.
I hate to break it to everyone, but dermatologists, for the most part, don’t have your best interests in mind. I’ve been to a plethora, was put on two rounds of Accutane, and given suggestions for a myriad of lotions that contain parabens in multiple (which my skin got addicted to, and failed to be able to regenerate properly for awhile after).
I use now Burt’s Bees Soap Bark & Chamomile deep cleansing cream wash to remove my makeup (not on the eyes, though–use pure jojoba oil there), and The Soap Works oatmeal soap or goat’s milk soap (depending on seasonal dryness…hemp soap is good for super-dry seasons) to wash after.
Read the labels. Educate yourselves. Don’t take what’s fed to you by any medical establishment. I trusted them for a long time, and then I started learning and researching on my own. And that has made a huge difference. Acupuncture made a bigger difference than any meds I’ve been on for anything.
Real, pure organic ingredients whenever possible, inside your body and out!
And seriously…why do people still trust the FDA?!
As far as expense…the oatmeal bar soap I use is $1.99 a bar. I’m sure that’s less than a bottle of Cetaphil.
One more thing, then I’ll stop…but using organic jojoba oil to remove makeup prior to washing won’t sting and it helps moisturize. I can buy a reasonably sized bottle for under $10, that will easily last two months. It doesn’t take much at all, it’s oil so it’s extremely emollient, but very gentle.
Most products on the shelves at the pharmacy are full of chemicals. And will sting/burn/irritate skin. But with the chemicals listed in Cetaphil, the irritation may not show up right away, because it’s cellular. And that means much worse later on.
Olive oil is comprised of: Tri-Glycerides of Palmitic, Di-Glycerides of Palmitic, Palmitoleic, Stearic, Oleic, Linoleic, Arachidic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Squalene, Beta Carotene, Campesterol, Methylenecholesterol, Stigmasterol, Sitosterol, Fucosterol, 28-Isofucosterol, Stigmadienol, Brassicasterol, 7-Cholestenol,Ergostadienol, Avenasterol, Triterpene Alcohols, Tirucallol, Taraxerol, Dammaradienol Beta-Amyrin Germanicol, Butyrospermol, Parkeol, Cycloartenol, Tirucalladienol, 24-Methlene 24-Dihydroparkeol, 24-Methlenecycloartanol, Cyclobranol, 4-Methyl Sterols, Esters of Tyrosol, Esters of Hydroxytyrosol, Vitamin E (Tocopherols), Carotenoids, Oleuropein
Gross! I can’t believe you’re putting that on your skin!
Stop saying “it’s full of chemicals” to make some foolish claims about a product’s worth. Water—pure, lovely water—is a chemical: H2O. Two hydrogens to an oxygen. THIS ENTIRE PLANET IS MADE OF CHEMICALS. Saying something is bad because it’s made out of chemicals is like saying something is good because it’s made out of pixie dust and angel kisses.
These claims—and most of this discussion—are baseless, science-free nonsense. If you don’t like doctors and scientists, then just say so. Go expect miracles from home remedies that, when they were last widely used, led to life expectancies of around 40. But don’t go off on paranoid rants about how they’re all out to get you and how your gut instincts offer better insights than science.
Elizabeth gave me some advice a while back to stop using Cetaphil, I did and my skin in such better shape. I started using Trader Joe’s facial cleanser with tea tree oil, it’s great! And it’s only $5.99 so to those of you who think you can’t afford good cleanser find your nearest Trader Joe’s!!
I think we can all agree that Carole is the only one who is ranting. It always amazes me when people spend time and energy to write angry comments. There should be a blog just for that.
I’m also not sure what kind of olive oil she’s referring to but if you stick with any unrefined, organic variety from a natural foods store you should find that it only has ONE ingredient.
For the record: I love all of my derms and doctors, many of whom contribute to this blog, so please don’t make assumptions. I just don’t always share their views on products, just like I probably don’t eat or drink the exact same thing they do either.
We are all just sharing our experiences and and the facts to the best of our knowledge so let’s keep the dialogue open and positive! Thanks all!
I disagree. I don’t think Carole was ranting and I think you missed her point. She just was pointing out that not everything comprised of funny sounding stuff is actually something to be suspect of. Even something made of one “ingredient” (olive oil) has multiple chemical compounds. After all, there is no olive oil molecule.
And you forgot to point out that you didn’t say “chemicals” you said “synthetic chemicals”- actually you say chemically manufactured, but that’s pretty much the same thing. Of course everything is a chemical compound. But we don’t need man made synthetic crap. I used to use cetaphil, as did my sister, while we were in the throes of acne, and it didn’t help either of us. Since then I have learned about what products not to use on my face and why.
For anyone reading these comments who thinks that using “clean” skin care is too expensive, you have been misinformed (in part by previous commenters, and in part by the organic skin product industries I hate to say- they are trying to meet a demand, but the truth is that you don’t need much “product” period).
Here’s what I use- coconut oil, baking soda, and apple cider vinegar. Head to toe. I also have a bar of local and handmade soap (calendula and something else- soothing to sensitive skin) that I occasionally use on my face and/or body. But that’s it. Daily I moisturize with the coconut oil as needed. When I shower I scrub my face with a tiny bit of baking soda, and moisturize after. That’s all I do with my face. I used to oil cleanse with the coconut oil every night, but I don’t need it anymore.
Thank you! My god, if one more person tells me how gentle cEtaphil or dove is I’m going to stab myself. Ugh!
If you don’t want sodium lauryl sulfate in your cleanser, how about in your tooth paste? Check out your tube of Crest, Colgate etc.
Mia..yes, I personally use Rhonda Allisons Skin Bright Cleanser, paraben free. And speaking for those clients that suffer from acne when using organics in some cases, acne destroys self esteem…they want safe, effective alternatives.
Honestly, what I wonder is: who is paying “Carol” and “Dana” to comment? Unfortunately, most of the cosmetic industry spends a lot of $ advocating against our health. Or at a minimum it ignores our health.
At best, the ingredients at issue are neutral. At worst, they are endocrine disruptors and carcinogenic.
And what is essentially undisputed is that the ingredients at issue are not affirmatively GOOD for our skin.
How about nourishing your skin with simple soaps, purifying acids, and hydrating oils? Honestly, why not at least try it? What if you discovered that your body was, in fact, affected by all the chemicals you put on your skin?
I submit that if you change anything about your beauty routine, in response to the “green beauty movement,” it should be what you use on your skin. Soap, lotion, foundation if you use it, etc. We are talking major surface area and a majorly absorbent organ.
I agree there is no one-size-fits-all in any beauty routine, whether organic or not. What’s frustrating and, frankly, stupid, is when people foreclose an entire avenue of discussion because they are afraid of what might result from exploration.
Also, no cosmetic skin care routine contributed in any way to a life expectancy of 40. No one here is advocating eschewing antibiotics or any other of the boons of modern medicine. What is being discussed is the possibility of de-medicalizing and simplifying your skin care. Let’s keep it real here, people.
Coincidently, I just read an article stating that 10,000 units of Cetaphyl are sold daily.
Geesh…I doubt anyone will even get to the bottom of these comments, but I wanted to mention the Aubrey line of skin care. It changed my life. I use the Dry/Combo line and it has literally changed my life. I have heard great things about the sensitive line as well. It’s not very expensive, and the bottles last 2 months +. Love, love, love it!
i love the cucumber towelettes!! i sort of use them as a backup cleanser for when i’m too sleepy to wash my face.
otherwise, i am LOVING veronica of malibu’s face cleanser – you must check it out, Elizabeth! seriously, so good.
i also use ahava’s time to clear cleansing cream. another good one. at first, my skin broke out, but i realized that it meant the cleanser was doing it’s job! i stuck with it and love love love. my skin is so clear and smooth and the wash isn’t harsh at all.
i’m a freak about my face routine, so i love when you post stuff like this…thanks!
ps. let me know your thoughts on these items if you’ve heard something bad! ;)
For my family of super sensitive light skinned Red heads we have tried everything..from the pricey to the super cheap. But for us we use Handmade Goats milk soap and lotion and have for over 7 years from Rose of Sharons soaps. Its the only thing that works for us otherwise we are in pain with dry broken out skin =O( heck I cant even wear perfume or I get some funky rash on my skin…double boo!
I guess I’m happier knowing where and how my soaps are made not in a big nasty factory but on a farm by hand.
I know there isn’t one “golden product” that will work on everyone we have to remember this. But I find that the water kills (makes it dry and gross) too. So maybe that is something else to look at when your trying to find something that works for you
Tons of Love!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rose-of-Sharon-Acres/37386137621
sorry I forgot to but the links. =o)
[...] 2. Fellow sensitive skinners. Yes, skinners is a word and yes, we have a problem. Our dermatologists have been lying to us. You heard me. LYING to us, as in recommending a skin care line that is chemically saturated. Cetaphil has been denounced as the ‘devil’ by several top skincare specialists. Miss Beauty Bets spills all. [...]
[...] few months ago Beauty Bets told me, in no uncertain terms, that Cetaphil is bad news. I’ve been doing oil cleansers ever since! (Post [...]
I agree! I’m a huge natural skin care proponent and Cetaphil is far from it!
However, I agree that words mean things, and ‘chemical’ does not mean ‘unnatural agent’. Water is a chemical as well and it’s arguably the best scin care ingredient out there. This isn’t just pedantry – misusing basic scientific terms can really undermine an otherwise sound argument.
I always thought that I was totally insane in my belief that Cetaphil caused my skin to rebel in unnatural ways. Maybe my face was on to something. I swear by Aveeno. It’s one of the few products that doesn’t cause that tight, itchy, red look that my super pale, super sensitive skin accepts as something to help it rather than causing my face to turn against me. For face lotion I use Clinique Dramatically different lotion. No more angry skin for me!
That olive oil you are using is statistically unlikely to be real olive oil:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/jan/04/olive-oil-real-thing
If you were to get a bottle of the real stuff, it would cost more than Cetaphil.
I don’t really wash my face, so I can’t particularly comment on these claims that “cetaphil is the devil”. I do know that skin is an extremely resistant organ and can generally take whatever we slap on there.
Mostly I just wanted to comment about olive oil.
I think Cetaphil has run a great advertising campaign – I’ve seen it in magazine articles as ‘best cleanser’ and ‘used by such and so celebrity’.
I tried it, and wasn’t impressed. It doesn’t surprise me at all that it’s made from synthetic chemicals some of which are not all that good for your skin. If it has to be promoted that much, I get a little suspicious of the product. And believe me, half the articles in women’s magazines are paid promotions. Plus dermatologists and doctors who get free samples and brochures talking up the supposedly wonderful cleanser will often recommend these products too without much investigation.
There’s no convincing evidence that parabens cause cancer (and BTW, they are naturally found in many fruits, including “superfoods” like blueberries). There is a lot of crap that is published in scientific journals that turns out not to be true. There’s a lot of stuff that is true in the researchers’ experimental system, but the system they use is so un-natural that it has no implications to real life (see below). Even the American Cancer Society’s official position is that there is no solid evidence that parabens are carcinogenic. Let’s look at the facts:
(1) A 2004 study (Darbre et al. J Appl Toxicol) found traces of parabens in breast cancer tumors. But, they never compared paraben levels in breast cancer vs. normal breast tissue. More importantly, correlation does not prove causation.
(2) The 2011 study that Mia mentions (Goodson et al. Carcinogenesis) claims that methylparaben blocks the therapeutic effect of Tamoxifen. But, they used a ridiculously high concentration of methylparaben (1uM) before seeing a robust effect, there was no effect at more “realistic” concentrations, and you would never have that much methylparaben in your blood. So, it doesn’t provide convincing evidence that methylparaben use in cosmetics and other products is toxic.
You may hate Cetaphil, but please don’t use science to argue that it’s crappy for you. If you have an opinion, jut go on your personal experience. FYI, I don’t work for cosmetics companies nor do I like them, but I am a scientist that cares about the truth.
I don’t have a comment on Cetaphil, just that I think we should be aware that natural does NOT equate to “good.”
Just because something is naturally occurring, doesn’t mean that isn’t harmful.
I think one of the best examples of this is asbestos. It is a naturally occurring mineral that is mined for a variety of uses and is quite good at what is used for. it’s also very dangerous to human health.
Just saying that “natural” doesn’t mean harmless.
Arsenic is also natural…and poisonous.
I think we can accept that everything is a chemical, but now we need to realize that “natural” chemicals aren’t ALWAYS good either.
ok. good.
I can see where you’d be concerned with Cetaphil’s ingredient list—parabens have been getting a bad rap lately what with the potential cancer business—but I disagree with the idea that natural=better and synthetically produced=badbadbad. Arsenic is natural, after all.
@Julia: I didn’t even read your comment! We must be brain twins.
Not in a position to argue the science of Cetaphil & parabens, but from my own experience, I have found that while Cetaphil did not aggravate my sensitive skin as much as some other cleansers, it did dry it. When I stopped using Cetaphil, in favour of a gentle handmade oatmeal soap, my rash improved quite noticeably.
I did my best to be objective about the changes, trying one change at a time for a month at a time (unless I had a dramatic reaction), and this was one of the most noticeable. When my skin was less dry, it calmed down.
Then I switched to an oat flour/sweet almond oil/water paste, and have been thrilled with the results. Super-gentle exfoliation (necessary for us super-flakies), super cheap & very, very effective & gentle.
I used Cetaphil forever, and had lovely skin. Then switched to Dr. Haushka, that aggivated my skin so badly, I had severe Rosacea that took 2 years to clear up. I was a model when I was younger in NY, Milan, and Tokyo, before all of the photoshop, and I was booked for my perfect looking skin. The dermo. that treated my rosacea in Canada prescribed LaRoche Posay. Which is much like Cetaphil, but it cleared my skin up completely. Whenever I think I need to switch to something else, my skin completely over reacts, and the rosacea rears it’s angry head.
Everyone needs to do what works for them, but those of us with hyper sensitive skin, need to find what works, and just stick with it!
Hmmm…I’ve only used the Cetaphil cleanser a few times, but I’ve used several big bottles’ worth of the day moisturizer. Bottom line: it works well for my skin. I like it. I’ll keep using it.
If something works well for you, then use it. If it doesn’t, then switch. The word “natural” has been thrown around so much that it’s lost all meaning. Just because something is branded as “natural” (by a company jumping on the bandwagon and looking for the bottom dollar on a trend) doesn’t mean it’s good for your skin. Would you slather poison ivy on your face just because it grows out of the ground? Probably not.
Nobody knows your skin better than you, and only you can decide what works well and what doesn’t. But if it comes down to it for my own skin, I would rather listen to the majority of medically-trained and certified dermatologists than a bunch of pretentious conspiracy theorists convinced that everyone’s out to lie to them and ruin their skin.
In this case, by “natural” I mean synthetic-free. Totally agree that a lot of green washing goes on in the beauty industry, and that skin can react to even the most “natural” ingredients. The concern with synthetics, such as parabens, glycols, and petrolatum, is that they have been linked to long-term healthy implications on our health, which don’t necessarily appear topically. I love that there are so many healthier, safer options on the market that cleanse just as well as Cetaphil, and in my humble experience—better.