Cetaphil sample review

The Cetaphil Story

Originally dubbed “Cetaphil Cleansing Lotion,” the first product was invented by a pharmacist in 1947 for dermatology needs. In its early years, Cetaphil Cleansing Lotion was only available from select pharmacists but quickly became a highly recommended product by dermatologists, pediatricians, and other healthcare professionals for common skin conditions. Due to consumer demand, more drugstores began selling the increasingly popular cleanser and by the 1980s it was available at all major retail stores across North America.

Cetaphil^® Gentle Skin Cleanser still uses the original formula developed in 1947. It remains in high demand, with about one bottle sold every minute – proving the popularity of Gentle Power!

 

What I was sent

I’ve been sent some new Cetaphil samples! I hadn’t even heard of this product til the past month or so and it’s easy to use, easy on the skin and good for children too!

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About Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

Claims – Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser works well as part of a skin care regimen to control dryness associated with topical acne medications and skin rejuvenating wrinkle products. Originally formulated for dermatologists, Cetaphil Gentle Liquid Cleanser is designed specifically for dry, sensitive skin. Unlike harsh alkaline soaps, it won’t irritate and will not strip the skin of natural protective oils. pH balanced, it is fragrance-free and non-comedogenic, making it an excellent choice for daily facial cleansing. Also works well for makeup removal. 

The interesting thing about this formulation is that it is very emollient and humectant heavy – Cetyl Alcohol and Propylene Glycol are second and third on the ingredients list respectively, being present at higher amounts than the surfactant, and Stearyl Alcohol is fifth.

So, as you can easily conclude, this is a cleanser that will be pretty moisturizing and non drying, due to the high concentrations of emollients and humectants.

I know some people may have concerns over Sodium Lauryl Sulphate being drying on the skin, and while by itself in high concentrations it can potentially be drying to some skin types, in this formula, it appears to be present in fairly low doses, combined with a large amount of moisturizing ingredients.

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser Ingredients – The ingredients list of the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser actually is pretty short and simple. There’s Purified Water, emollients (Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol) and a humectant (Propylene Glycol), both of which give the product moisturizing properties, the surfactant which actually removes the dirt from your skin (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate), and the preservatives to prevent the product from going bad (Methyl Hydroxybenzoate, Propyl Hydroxybenzoate, Butyl Hydroxybenzoate). 

 

ABOUT PH

Often, a high pH (meaning that the cleanser is very alkaline) is often associated with very drying or stripping cleansers. Our skin’s pH is pH5.5, or slightly acidic, and ideally, we want to be as close to that number as possible. Pure water has a pH of 7.0, and is considered neutral (neither alkaline nor acidic), so any pH value larger than 7.0 would be alkaline, and the larger it is, the more alkaline it is, which, in the case of a cleanser, means it is likely to be more drying as well.

In this case, we have a pretty good reading of pH6.5, both when the cleanser is tested alone, and when it is tested mixed with some tap water (to mimic how it might be used in an everyday setting when you wash your face). This means it is a non-alkaline cleanser, and yes, is indeed formulated to be quite mild and non-drying.

Now that we’ve looked at the ingredients, how does it perform? Well, as you can see from the photo above the cleanser has a pretty creamy texture.

I thought that the texture was more similar to that of a moisturizer than a cleanser! It does feel nice and moisturizing on the skin, due to the high levels of humectants and emollients, and does indeed live up to its reputation of being a gentle cleanser. It also rinses off cleanly, although it doesn’t lather up and generate any foam.

This product doesn’t have any fragrances or potentially irritating plant oils which is also a plus. 

Perhaps the only downside to this product for some is that because it is pretty gentle, it’s not going to function as a makeup remover for heavy makeup, like some stronger cleansers do. It does remove some light makeup, but if you have a full face of makeup on, I would suggest that you use a separate makeup remover before using this cleanser.

 

About Cetaphil Moisturizing lotion 

Claims- Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion is specifically formulated to soothe your chronically dry skin. Once applied, your skin feels soft and smooth. It is non-greasy, non–irritating and non–comedogenic (won’t clog pores), leaving you feeling more comfortable in your own skin.

• Lightweight hydration to replenish sensitive and normal skin
• Fast-acting, long-lasting, light-weight formula helps maintain healthy skin
• Special ingredients are proven to bind water to skin and help prevent moisture loss
• Protects and enhances skin’s natural moisture

 

It’s low maintenance skin care and Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion smells mild as well and I see this as a water-based moisturizer that effectively soothes any skin problem even with only a little amount.

The cream itself is very lightweight but not too runny and comes in an opaque white texture. It gets absorbed to skin easily as well without any sticky or greasy feel. Since I have oily skin, its moisturizing and hydrating factor is sufficient already to get rid of the tight feeling I am having after cleansing the face.

If you have dry skin, you might want to use a heavy-duty moisturizer to hydrate your skin.

If you are getting away from moisturizers which leaves some white greasy film on the skin, you might want to switch to Cetaphil Lotion now. Indeed, it’s non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores) so it suits whatever skin type you have.

About Cetaphil Daily Defence Moisturiser.

Claims – a dermatologist recommended daily facial moisturizer that has a broad spectrum defense (UVB & UVA). It is non-comedogenic, non-greasy, fragrance-free and non-irritating.

A lot of moisturisers/sunscreens with high SPF can feel quite thick on your face and leave a white residue but this one doesn’t – it’s great sun protection with it’s UVA/UVB it moisturizes very effectively.

A little goes a long way so must be used sparingly If you’re looking for SPF in a moisturizer this is a great way to go. I have combination skin so is great to be used in small amounts.

Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer is a lightweight lotion with sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50, which is fragrance-free and leaves skin soft and smooth.

Designed for daily use, this moisturizer helps protect against the damaging UVA and UVB rays that can cause premature lines and wrinkles. The non irritating, non-comedogenic, and fragrance-free formula works great under makeup or after shaving.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

Would I recommend the Cetaphil? Yes I would! I’ve been using this product for perhaps a couple of weeks now and I think it’s a great buy for those with gentle skin care needs.

For an affordable price, you get a well formulated gentle cleanser that does help to clean the skin, while not stripping it or leaving it feeling tight and dry, and that doesn’t aggravate skin allergies or sensitivities.

 

EXTRA THOUGHTS

I don’t want to turn this review into a full blown essay about the effects of harmful chemicals used in sunscreens. If you are interested in learning more about the effects of these chemicals, you can click click here, and if you want to learn about sunscreen brands that are deemed safe by the EWG you can click here. 

I was shocked to learn that many sunscreen brands uses chemical ingredients that can be very harmful to the human body, and these chemicals can potentially accelerate the rate of skin cancer.  I find this pretty ironic as I am wearing sunscreen to avoid damages done by the UV rays, and not to magnify it.
The ingredients used in the sunscreen products are all approved by the FDA, but nevertheless, they still have very negative side effects.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a non-profitable organization that assesses many of the sunscreen brands on the market. EWG was established in 2014, and have deemed 75% of the sunscreen brands to be toxic. Using the chart that EWG provided for sunscreen chemicals that are of most concern, out of the 5 active ingredients that Cetaphil have used in their DFM, 2 ingredients have a high level of toxicity concern while 2 other ingredients has a moderate level of toxicity concern. 

This means that 4 out 5 of the ingredients used in DFM is has a moderate to high concerns of toxicity to the human body. Not only are these ingredients harmful, it also has a relatively high chance of causing skin allergy. Yet, Cetaphil’s DFM is still a dermatologist recommended product so obviously not that bad.

 

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RECOMMENDED?	FORMULATION	SAMPLE PACKAGING	EASE OF USE	EFFECTIVENESS
Definitely, a gentle, caring product.	9/10	10/10	10/10	8/10
THE BOTTOM LINE: CETAPHIL’S GENTLE SKIN CLEANSER IS AN AFFORDABLE, NO-FRILLS PRODUCT THAT LIVES UP TO ITS CLAIM AS A GENTLE CLEANSER, WITH MOISTURIZING PROPERTIES.

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