Vital C Cleanser
The IMAGE skincare Vital C Cleanser is a cleanser. Our analysis of its 37 ingredients (27 low-risk) rates it Excellent (95/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone skin.
The IMAGE skincare Vital C Cleanser is a cleanser. Our analysis of its 37 ingredients (27 low-risk) rates it Excellent (95/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone skin.
Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.
The evidence
Dry Skin
9/11
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin
2/0
Sensitive Skin
6/11
| EWG | CIR | Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
1
|
|
Water
(Solvent) |
|
|
1
|
B
|
Isododecane
(Fragrance, Solvent, Emollient, Perfuming) |
|
|
1
|
B
|
Cetearyl Olivate
(Hair Conditioning) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Cetyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Fragrance, Opacifying, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Masking, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
1
|
|
Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
(Emollient, Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
(Emollient, Masking, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Solvent) |
|
|
|
citrus aurantium dulcis peel oil
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Sorbitan Olivate
(Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
6
|
|
Limonene
(Deodorant, Perfuming, Solvent) |
Allergens
|
|
1
|
A
|
Stearic Acid
(Fragrance, Sufactant, Emulsifying, Surfactantsurfactant Cleansing Agent Is Included As A Function For The Soap Form Of Stearic Acid., Emulsion Stabilising, Masking, Refatting) |
Bad for Oily Skin
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
|
1
|
A
|
Glyceryl Stearate
(Emollient, Emulsifying) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
|
3
|
A
|
PEG-100 Stearate
(Surfactant) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
|
1
|
B
|
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
(Emollient, Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
1
|
B
|
Decyl Glucoside
(Cleansing, Emulsion Stabilising, Surfactant) |
|
|
1
|
|
Glycereth-26
(Humectant, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Solvent, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
|
|
C10-16 Alkyl Glucoside
(Surfactant Cleansing, Surfactant Emulsifying) |
|
|
2
|
A
|
Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent) |
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
|
1
|
A
|
Xanthan Gum
(Binding Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant Emulsifying Agent, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Binding, Gel Forming, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
(Absorbent, Anticaking Agent, Opacifying, Slip Modifier, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Ethylhexylglycerin
(Deodorant, Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
|
|
Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil
(Fragrance, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Tonic) |
|
|
|
|
Retinyl Palmitate
(Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Miscellaneous) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
(Antioxidant) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Butylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Solvent, Viscositydecreasing Agent, Humectant, Masking, Viscosity Controlling) |
Good for Dry Skin
|
|
3
|
|
Tocopheryl Acetate
(Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning) |
Bad for Oily Skin
|
|
1
|
|
Yeast Polysaccharides
(Film Forming, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
3
|
B
|
Sodium Hydroxide
(Denaturant, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Ascorbyl Palmitate
(Antioxidant, Masking) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
|
|
|
TOCOPHEROL
(Antioxidant, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
|
|
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
(Anti Seborrheic, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Oral Care, Skin Protecting, Uv Absorber) |
|
|
1
|
|
Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract
(Astringent, Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
|
|
Saponaria Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract
(Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Pentylene Glycol
(Skin Conditioning, Solvent) |
|
|
2
|
A
|
Tromethamine
(Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent, Masking) |
|
|
1
|
|
Superoxide Dismutase
(Reducing, Skin Conditioning, Antioxidant) |
|
|
4
|
A
|
Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative) |
Paraben
|
7
|
|
Eugenol
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Masking, Tonic) |
Allergens
|
No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.
EWG flags hazard, not real-world risk — ratings don't account for how much of an ingredient a product contains. Treat these as things to research, not verdicts. How we score →
How to use
General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.
Trust & honesty
Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.
Topical retinoids (retinol, retinaldehyde, retinyl esters) are widely advised against in pregnancy as a precaution. The strongest evidence is for ORAL retinoids; topical absorption is low, but most clinicians err on the side of caution.
This is general information, not medical advice. Pregnancy guidance varies and depends on concentration and your individual situation — always check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist. How we flag this.
The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.
Most studied between 0.1% and 1%. Higher is not automatically better — irritation climbs with dose, so a well-formulated lower strength is often the sweet spot.
Retinyl Palmitate
L-ascorbic acid is usually used at 5–20% (around 10–15% is common). Above ~20% adds little and tends to irritate more; it also needs a low pH to work.
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ascorbyl Palmitate
INCI lists don't disclose amounts, and we don't claim to know this product's levels — these are the ranges these ingredients are usually effective at, so you can tell a real formula from "fairy-dusting" a marketed active. How we estimate this.
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