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CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser
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Open Beauty Facts

CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser

Excellent out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Contains parabens
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • May contain traces of 1,4-dioxane
  • Contains quaternary ammonium compounds
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Why it scores 91

CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser scores 91 out of 100 (Excellent) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Propylparaben: The EU limits propyl- and butylparaben (0.14% combined) and bans them in leave-on nappy-area products for children under 3 because a risk could not be excluded. Regulatory
  2. Behentrimonium chloride: A 2023 review describes quaternary ammonium compounds as a class of emerging concern. Emerging
  3. Polyethylene glycols (PEG) and ethoxylates: Ingredients named with PEG, -eth- or -oxynol- can carry trace 1,4-dioxane from manufacturing (IARC Group 2B). Strong

Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.

The Receipt

Hydrating Facial Cleanser

START100

Ingredients

  • Propylparaben
    Regulatory The EU limits propyl- and butylparaben (0.14% combined) and bans them in leave-on nappy-area products for children under 3 because a risk could not be excluded. [1]
  • Behentrimonium chloride
    Emerging A 2023 review describes quaternary ammonium compounds as a class of emerging concern. [2]
  • Polyethylene glycols (PEG) and ethoxylates
    Strong Ingredients named with PEG, -eth- or -oxynol- can carry trace 1,4-dioxane from manufacturing (IARC Group 2B). [3][4]
  • Mono- and diglycerides
    Strong In the NutriNet-Santé cohort, higher intakes of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471 and E472) were associated with higher cardiovascular risk; cause and effect is not established. [5][6][7]
  • Polysorbates (cosmetic)
    Strong Ethoxylated ingredients can carry trace 1,4-dioxane from manufacturing. [3]
  • Potassium phosphate
    Strong EFSA (2019) set a group ADI for phosphates of 40 mg/kg body weight (as phosphorus) and noted that infants, toddlers and children may exceed it. [8]
  • Methylparaben
    Regulatory Allowed in EU cosmetics up to 0.4% (single ester) and 0.8% (mixtures of esters). [1]
subtotal−9
TOTAL 91Excellent

100 − 9 = 91

GTIN 03606000537675 · 2025-03-22

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Ingredients

High Moderate Not recognized Tap an ingredient for its evidence and rules.
Label text, as published

Purified Water, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Methosulfate and Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceramide 3, Ceramide 6-11, Ceramide 1, Hyaluronic Acid, Cholesterol, Polyoxyl 40 Stearate, Glyceryl Monostearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 20, Potassium Phosphate, Dipotassium Phosphate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cetyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Phytosphingosine, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum.

Allergens and diets

  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

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More from CeraVe

Sources

  1. Commission Regulation (EU) No 1004/2014 of 18 September 2014 amending Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009

    European Union (Official Journal) · Sep 18, 2014 · Law

    “butylparaben and propylparaben should be prohibited in leave-on cosmetic products designed for application on the nappy area of children below three years.”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  2. Quaternary Ammonium Compounds: A Chemical Class of Emerging Concern

    Environmental Science & Technology · May 23, 2023 · Peer-reviewed

    “Suspected or known adverse health outcomes include dermal and respiratory effects, developmental and reproductive toxicity, disruption of metabolic function such as lipid homeostasis, and impairment of mitochondrial function.”

    doi.org

  3. 1,4-Dioxane in Cosmetics: A Manufacturing Byproduct

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Regulator

    “1,4-dioxane forms as a byproduct during the manufacturing process of certain cosmetic ingredients.”

    fda.gov

  4. Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–142 (List of Classifications)

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · IARC

    monographs.iarc.who.int

  5. Food additive emulsifiers and risk of cardiovascular disease in the NutriNet-Santé cohort: prospective cohort study

    BMJ · Sep 6, 2023 · Peer-reviewed

    “This study found positive associations between risk of CVD and intake of five individual and two groups of food additive emulsifiers widely used in industrial foods.”

    doi.org

  6. Re-evaluation of mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids (E 471) as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Nov 10, 2017 · Agency assessment

    “The available studies did not raise any concern with regard to genotoxicity.”

    doi.org

  7. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  8. EFSA issues new advice on phosphates

    European Food Safety Authority · Jun 12, 2019 · Agency assessment

    “We estimated that dietary exposure to phosphates may exceed the new ADI for infants, toddlers and children with average consumption of phosphates in their diet.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  9. Commission Regulation (EU) No 358/2014 of 9 April 2014 amending Annexes II and V to Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009

    European Union (Official Journal) · Apr 9, 2014 · Law

    “for these compounds, the human risk cannot be evaluated.”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  10. California AB 2762 (2020), Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act (Health and Safety Code §108980)

    California Legislative Information · Sep 30, 2020 · Law

    “Commencing January 1, 2025, no person or entity shall manufacture, sell, deliver, hold, or offer for sale, in commerce any cosmetic product that contains any of the following intentionally added ingredients”

    leginfo.legislature.ca.gov

  11. Dietary emulsifiers impact the mouse gut microbiota promoting colitis and metabolic syndrome

    Nature · Mar 5, 2015 · Peer-reviewed

    “carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate-80, induced low-grade inflammation and obesity/metabolic syndrome in wild-type hosts and promoted robust colitis in mice predisposed to this disorder.”

    doi.org

  12. Randomized Controlled-Feeding Study of Dietary Emulsifier Carboxymethylcellulose Reveals Detrimental Impacts on the Gut Microbiota and Metabolome

    Gastroenterology · March 2022 · Peer-reviewed

    “Relative to control subjects, CMC consumption modestly increased postprandial abdominal discomfort and perturbed gut microbiota composition in a way that reduced its diversity.”

    doi.org