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HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES LEARN MORE ABOUT EWG VERIFIED®
Product score: 03

Data Availability:

Limited

Aesop Purifying Facial Cream Cleanser

Aesop Purifying Facial Cream Cleanser

WHERE TO BUY

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CATEGORY

Facial Cleanser

BRAND

Aesop

DATA LAST UPDATED

September 2024

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.

Ingredient score: 01
WATER
Data Availability: Robust
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FUNCTION(S) solvent
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Ingredient score: 01
GLYCERYL STEARATE SE
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) emulsifying, surfactant - emulsifying agent
CONCERNS • Enhanced skin absorption
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Ingredient score: 01
BRASSICA ALCOHOL
Data Availability: Limited
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Ingredient score: 01
ROSA CANINA (DOG ROSE) SEED EXTRACT
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) humectant, skin-conditioning agent - emollient
CONCERNS • Allergies/immunotoxicity (low)
• Use restrictions (low)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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Ingredient score: 01
OENOTHERA BIENNIS (EVENING PRIMROSE) OIL
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) emollient, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
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Ingredient score: 02
GLYCERIN
Data Availability: Fair
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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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Ingredient score: 01
C12-16 ALCOHOLS
Data Availability: Good
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FUNCTION(S) antistatic, emollient, emulsion stabilising, hair conditioning, viscosity controlling, emulsion stabilizer, viscosity increasing agent - nonaqueous
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Ingredient score: 01
SODIUM COCOYL ISETHIONATE
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) cleansing, hair conditioning, surfactant, surfactant - cleansing agent
CONCERNS • Use restrictions (low)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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Ingredient score: 04
BENZYL ALCOHOL
Data Availability: Fair
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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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Ingredient score: 01
ARACHIDYL ALCOHOL
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) emollient, emulsion stabilising, viscosity controlling, emulsion stabilizer, viscosity increasing agent - aqueous, viscosity increasing agent -nonaqueous
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Ingredient score: 02
ARACHIDYL GLUCOSIDE
Data Availability: Good
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FUNCTION(S) emulsifying, surfactant, surfactant - emulsifying agent
CONCERNS • Allergies/immunotoxicity (low)
• Enhanced skin absorption
• Use restrictions (low)
• Endocrine disruption (low)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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Ingredient score: 01
BEHENYL ALCOHOL
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) binding, emollient, emulsion stabilising, viscosity controlling, binder, emulsion stabilizer, viscosity increasing agent - nonaqueous
CONCERNS • Allergies/immunotoxicity (low)
• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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Ingredient score: 01
KAOLIN
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) abrasive, absorbent, anticaking, bulking, opacifying, anticaking agent, bulking agent, opacifying agent, skin protectant;slip modifier
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Ingredient score: 01
XANTHAN GUM
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) binding, emulsifying, emulsion stabilising, gel forming, skin conditioning, surfactant, viscosity controlling, binder, emulsion stabilizer, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, surfactant -emulsifying agent, viscosity increasing agent - aqueous
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Ingredient score: 01
ORMENIS MULTICAULIS OIL
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) fragrance ingredient
CONCERNS • Allergies/immunotoxicity (low)
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Ingredient score: 02
MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) abrasive, absorbent, anticaking agent, bulking agent, emulsion stabilizer, slip modifier;viscosity increasing agent - aqueous
CONCERNS • Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate)
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Ingredient score: 01
COCONUT FATTY ACID
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) cleansing, emollient, emulsifying, surfactant, surfactant - cleansing agentsurfactant-cleansing agent is included as a function for the soap form of coconut acid.
CONCERNS • Multiple, additive exposure sources (low)
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Ingredient score: 01
ANTHEMIS NOBILIS (CHAMOMILE) FLOWER OIL
Data Availability: Limited
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CONCERNS • Allergies/immunotoxicity (low)
• Use restrictions (low)
• Neurotoxicity (low)
• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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Ingredient score: 02
LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA (LAVENDER) OIL
Data Availability: Good
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FUNCTION(S) fragrance ingredient, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
CONCERNS • Allergies/immunotoxicity (low)
• Endocrine disruption (moderate)
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Ingredient score: 04
ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS (ROSEMARY) LEAF OIL
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) masking, skin conditioning, fragrance ingredient, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
CONCERNS • Cancer (low)
• Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low)
• Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate)
• Enhanced skin absorption
• Use restrictions (low)
• Neurotoxicity (low)
• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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Ingredient score: 01
CELLULOSE GUM
Data Availability: Fair
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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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Ingredient score: 01
DEHYDROACETIC ACID
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) preservative
CONCERNS • Ecotoxicology (low)
• Occupational hazards (high)
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Ingredient score: 01
SODIUM GLUCONATE
Data Availability: Limited
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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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Ingredient score: 01
SODIUM ISETHIONATE
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) antistatic, cleansing, hair conditioning, skin conditioning, not reported
CONCERNS • Use restrictions (low)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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Ingredient score: 01
TETRASODIUM PYROPHOSPHATE
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) anticaking, buffering, chelating, oral care, buffering agent, chelating agent, corrosion inhibitor, oral care agent, ph adjuster
CONCERNS • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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Ingredient score: 01
TOCOPHEROL
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) skin conditioning, antioxidant, fragrance ingredient, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous;skin-conditioning agent - occlusive
CONCERNS • Cancer (low)
• Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low)
• Allergies/immunotoxicity (low)
• Endocrine disruption (low)
• Contamination concerns (HYDROQUINONE)
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Ingredient score: 03
LINALOOL
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) deodorant, masking, fragrance ingredient
CONCERNS • Allergies/immunotoxicity (high)
• Contamination concerns (FORMALDEHYDE)
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Ingredient score: 04
LIMONENE
Data Availability: Good
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FUNCTION(S) perfuming
CONCERNS • Allergies/immunotoxicity (high)
• Persistence and bioaccumulation (moderate)
• Ecotoxicology (low)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high)
• Contamination concerns (FORMALDEHYDE)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

Ingredients from packaging:

Water (Aqua), Glyceryl Stearate SE, Brassica Alcohol, Rosa Canina Seed Extract, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Glycerin, C12-16 Alcohols, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Benzyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, Kaolin, Xanthan Gum, Ormenis Multicaulis Oil, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Coconut Acid, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Cellulose Gum, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Isethionate, Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, Tocopherol, Linalool, 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.

Score legend
WEIGHT-OF-EVIDENCE APPROACH

A product’s hazard score is not an average of the ingredients’ hazard scores. It is calculated using a weight-of-evidence approach that factors in all of the hazards or health impacts associated with the ingredients.

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
NONE

Ingredients have not been assessed.

LIMITED-FAIR

There is only a modest volume of research.

GOOD-ROBUST

Ingredients have been studied extensively.

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