EWG Skin Deep® | Dove Antibacterial Hand Wash Rating

EWG's Skin Deep®

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Data Availability:

Limited

Dove Antibacterial Hand Wash

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Ingredient concerns

See how this product scores for common concerns.

LOW

Cancer
HIGH

Allergies & Immunotoxicity
LOW

Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity
MODERATE

Use Restrictions

Ingredient scores

Ingredients are scored based on their formulation and concentration in this product. Click on an ingredient for more information.

BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	antimicrobial, antistatic, deodorant, preservative, surfactant, antimicrobial agent, antistatic agent, cosmetic biocide, deodorant agent, surfactant -suspending agent
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (high) • Use restrictions (moderate) • Neurotoxicity (low) • Endocrine disruption (low) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate)
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WATER

Data Availability: Robust

FUNCTION(S)	solvent
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SODIUM METHYL LAUROYL TAURATE

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	cleansing, foaming, surfactant, surfactant - cleansing agent
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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GLYCERIN

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	denaturant, humectant, perfuming, solvent, fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, oral care agent;oral health care drug, skin-conditioning agent - humectant, skin protectant, viscosity decreasing agent
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (moderate)
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SODIUM HYDROXYPROPYL STARCH PHOSPHATE

Data Availability: None

FUNCTION(S)	abrasive, bulking, viscosity controlling, bulking agent, viscosity increasing agent - aqueous
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CITRIC ACID

Data Availability: Good

FUNCTION(S)	buffering, chelating, masking, chelating agent, fragrance ingredient, ph adjuster
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (moderate)
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SODIUM BENZOATE

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	anticorrosive, masking, preservative, fragrance ingredient
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (moderate)
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COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	antistatic, cleansing, foam boosting, hair conditioning, surfactant, viscosity controlling, antistatic agent, hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous;surfactant - cleansing agent, surfactant - foam booster, viscosity increasing agent - aqueous
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate) • Use restrictions (high) • Contamination concerns (3-DIMETHYLAMINOPROPYLAMINE, COCAMIDOPROPYL DIMETHYLAMINE, and NITROSAMINES)
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FRAGRANCE

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	deodorant, masking, perfuming
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (high) • Endocrine disruption (moderate) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Ecotoxicology (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (moderate)
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LAURIC ACID

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	cleansing, emulsifying, surfactant, fragrance ingredient, surfactant - cleansing agentsurfactant-cleansing agent is included as a function for the soap form of lauric acid.
CONCERNS	• Multiple, additive exposure sources (low)
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STEARIC ACID

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	cleansing, emulsifying, emulsion stabilising, masking, refatting, surfactant, fragrance ingredient, surfactant - cleansing agent, surfactant - emulsifying agentsurfactant-cleansing agent is included as a function for the soap form of stearic acid.
CONCERNS	• Multiple, additive exposure sources (low)
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PALMITIC ACID

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	emollient, emulsifying, fragrance ingredient, opacifying agent, surfactant - cleansing agent, surfactant -emulsifying agentsurfactant-cleansing agent is included as a function for the soap form of palmitic acid.
CONCERNS	• Multiple, additive exposure sources (low)
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HYDROXYSTEARIC ACID

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	cleansing, emulsifying, surfactant, surfactant - cleansing agentsurfactant-cleansing agent is included as a function for the soap form of hydroxystearic acid.
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GLYCERYL MONOSTEARATE

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	emollient, emulsifying, fragrance ingredient, skin-conditioning agent - emollient, surfactant - emulsifying agent
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GUAR HYDROXYPROPYLTRIMONIUM CHLORIDE

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	antistatic, film forming, skin conditioning, viscosity controlling, antistatic agent, hair conditioning agent, viscosity increasing agent - aqueous
CONCERNS	• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low) • Contamination concerns (COAL FLY ASH)
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MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	abrasive, absorbent, anticaking agent, bulking agent, emulsion stabilizer, slip modifier;viscosity increasing agent - aqueous
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate)
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SODIUM GLUCONATE

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	chelating, skin conditioning, chelating agent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
CONCERNS	• Cancer (low) • Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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CELLULOSE GUM

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	binding, emulsion stabilising, film forming, masking, viscosity controlling, binder, emulsion stabilizer, film former, fragrance ingredient, viscosity increasing agent -aqueous
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BENZYL ALCOHOL

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	masking, preservative, solvent, external analgesic, fragrance ingredient, oral health care drug, solvent;viscosity decreasing agent
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (high) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Ecotoxicology (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low) • Occupational hazards (high)
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LIMONENE

Data Availability: Good

FUNCTION(S)	perfuming
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (high) • Persistence and bioaccumulation (moderate) • Ecotoxicology (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high) • Contamination concerns (FORMALDEHYDE)
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Ingredients from packaging:

Active Ingredients: Benzalkonium Chloride 0.13%; Inactive Ingredients: INACTIVE INGREDIENTS: WATER (AQUA), SODIUM METHYL LAUROYL TAURATE, GLYCERIN, SODIUM HYDROXYPROPYL STARCH PHOSPHATE, CITRIC ACID, SODIUM BENZOATE, COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE, FRAGRANCE, LAURIC ACID, STEARIC ACID, PALMITIC ACID, HYDROXYSTEARIC ACID, GLYCERYL STEARATE, GUAR HYDROXYPROPYLTRIMONIUM CHLORIDE, MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE, SODIUM GLUCONATE, CELLULOSE GUM, BENZYL ALCOHOL, LIMONENE

Product's animal testing policies

Some cosmetics companies have taken People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and Leaping Bunny animal-testing pledges. For consumers who are concerned about companies’ policies on animal testing, Skin Deep reports this information.

PETA Cruelty-free Companies

Companies that join the "Caring Consumer" program of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a leading international animal rights advocacy organization, attest that "neither they nor their ingredient suppliers conduct or commission any animal tests on ingredients, formulations or finished products, and that they pledge not to do so in the future."

LEARN MORE ON PETA.ORG

Understanding scores

Cosmetics and personal care products are not required to be tested for safety before being allowed on the market. The Skin Deep® scoring system was designed to help the public understand whether a product is safe to use or whether it contains ingredients of concern.

Every product and ingredient in Skin Deep gets a two-part score – one for hazard and one for data availability. The safest products score well by both measures, with a low hazard rating and a fair or better data availability rating.

HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES

Hazard score

The Skin Deep ingredient hazard score, from 1 to 10, reflects known and suspected hazards linked to the ingredients. The EWG Verified^® mark means a product meets EWG’s strictest criteria for transparency and health.

Data availability

The Skin Deep data availability rating reflects the number of scientific studies about the product or ingredient in the published scientific literature.

NONE LIMITED FAIR GOOD ROBUST

Low Availability

Moderate Availability

High Availability