Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

Ten-ingredient wash with glycerin, panthenol and niacinamide.

Green List ingredients3 in the INCI

Typical price£10–£14

Size236ml

Best for

Normal to dry sensitive skin; short-list routines; everyday morning or evening cleansing.

Texture

Cleansing lotion; Cetaphil says it can be used with or without water.

Avoid if

You need a first cleanse for heavy makeup or water-resistant SPF, or niacinamide doesn't suit you.

Red List audit

This formula passed the Skincare Clarity Red List screen.

Fragrance / Parfum and listed fragrance allergens: none listed.
Essential oils: none listed.
Drying alcohols: none listed.
Other screened items, including MI/MCI, parabens and SLS/SLES: none listed.

See the full Red List screening framework

Quick verdict

Ten ingredients make this the shortest list among our cleansers, and only one of them does the cleaning: sodium cocoyl isethionate, a mild surfactant, in eighth place. Ahead of it are glycerin, second, and panthenol and niacinamide, fourth and fifth.

Explore all 10 ingredients and their roles

Why it made the cut

This page assesses the current ten-ingredient UK formula with niacinamide and panthenol, which Cetaphil added when it announced a reformulation in 2021. Earlier versions used a different ingredient list, so compare the label with the full INCI below.

Next to CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, sold in the same 236ml size at a similar price, it trades ceramides for a much shorter list. Cetearyl alcohol, third, is a fatty alcohol that thickens the lotion, not a drying one, and the only preservative is sodium benzoate. Cetaphil says it can be used with or without water, on the face and body.

Comparing cleansers? Our guide to choosing a cleanser explains how surfactants differ.

Where to buy

Current retailer

Lookfantastic

Typical UK price £10–£14 for 236ml. Check the retailer for the current price and availability.

View at Lookfantastic

Green List analysis

Glycerin, panthenol and niacinamide all sit in the top five of ten ingredients. When rinsed off, contact time is brief.

glycerin – humectant hydration support
panthenol – comfort and moisture support
niacinamide – barrier-resilience support

Full ingredient list

Ingredients and roles

Every ingredient in label order, coloured by role. Select an ingredient for a short explanation.

Colour key – select a role to highlight its ingredients

Colours show one selected role; many ingredients do more than one job. Ingredients above 1% are listed by weight; below 1% they can appear in any order. The label doesn't show where that line falls or how much of each ingredient is used.

Ingredient list source: Lookfantastic, checked 25 October 2026.
Ingredient roles and explanations: Skincare Clarity, based on manufacturer information, published ingredient assessments and the EU CosIng database, checked 4 November 2026.

For the latest information, review the ingredient list printed on the product packaging before use.

Last reviewed: 25 October 2026