C-Exfoliating Day Lotion

Obagi

Where to buy Possibly in stock

About this product

The Obagi C-Exfoliating Day Lotion is a moisturizer. Our analysis of its 32 ingredients (23 low-risk) rates it Excellent (85/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to dry skin. Heads up: it contains fragrance, which can irritate sensitive or reactive skin.

Vegan-friendly Reef-safe

Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.

At a glance

Type
Moisturizers
Ingredients
32
Low-risk
23
Fragrance
Contains fragrance
Origin
United States

The evidence

Quick Product Notes

Paraben-Free Sulfate-Free Alcohol-Free Silicone-Free EU Allergen-Free Fungal Acne (Malassezia) Safe Cruelty-Free

Notable Effects & Ingredients

No Notable Effects & Ingredients

Ingredients Related to Skin Types

Good   Bad — tap a skin type to see which ingredients · estimated from ingredient functions
Dry Skin 10/7
Good for dry skin
Glyceryl Stearate Cetearyl Alcohol Squalane Ethylhexyl Stearate Ethylhexyl Palmitate Isopropyl Palmitate Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Sodium Hyaluronate Glycerin Dimethicone
Caution for dry skin
Glycerin Ceteareth-20 Sodium Hydroxide Steareth-2 Polysorbate 60 PEG-100 Stearate PEG-8 Ricinoleate
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin No data
Sensitive Skin 4/11
Good for sensitive skin
Ascorbyl Glucoside Glycerin Dimethicone Tocopheryl Acetate
Caution for sensitive skin
Arginine Ethylhexyl Palmitate Isopropyl Palmitate Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Glycerin Methylparaben Ethylparaben Phenoxyethanol Butylparaben Isobutylparaben Propylparaben

Ingredients list

32 total
Lower hazard (1) Higher hazard (7)
All32 Skin Conditioning16 Fragrance11 Emollient8 Preservative6 Perfuming6 Emulsifying6 Surfactant5 Hair Conditioning4
EWG CIR Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions Notes
1
Water
(Solvent)
4
B
Glycolic Acid
(Exfoliant, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent)
Good for Oily Skin
Good for Oily Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
1
A
Arginine
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Antistatic Agent, Masking)
1
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
(Emulsion Stabilising, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Squalane
(Emollient, Hair Conditioning, Refatting, Skin Conditioning)
3
B
Polysorbate 60
(Emulsifying, Surfactant)
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
B
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Perfuming)
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
B
Ethylhexyl Stearate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient)
1
A
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
(Emollient, Masking, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Solvent)
1
B
Isopropyl Palmitate
(Binding Agent, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Antistatic Agent, Binding, Perfuming, Solvent)
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
A
Glyceryl Stearate
(Emollient, Emulsifying)
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
3
A
PEG-100 Stearate
(Surfactant)
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
3
A
PEG-8 Dimethicone
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning)
3
PEG-8 Ricinoleate
(Emulsifying, Surfactant)
1
A
Sodium Hyaluronate
(Skin Conditioning, Humectant)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
3
B
Sodium Hydroxide
(Denaturant, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent)
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
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
Ascorbyl Glucoside
(Antioxidant)
3
Tocopheryl Acetate
(Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning)
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
4
A
Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative)
Paraben
Paraben
1
A
Cetearyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Opacifying, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Increasingagent Aqueous, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Emulsifying, Viscosity Controlling)
3
B
Ceteareth-20
(Cleansing, Emulsifying, Surfactant)
3
A
Dimethicone
(Antifoaming Agent, Skin Protecting, Emollient, Skin Conditioning)
Silicone
Silicone
3
B
Steareth-2
(Emulsifying, Surfactant)
2
A
Tetrasodium EDTA
(Chelating Agent)
Bisabolol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Soothing)
4
A
Methylparaben
(Fragrance, Preservative)
Paraben
Paraben
4
A
Ethylparaben
(Fragrance, Preservative)
Paraben
Paraben
7
A
Butylparaben
(Fragrance, Preservative, Masking)
Paraben
Paraben
7
A
Propylparaben
(Fragrance, Preservative, Perfuming)
Paraben
Paraben
7
A
Isobutylparaben
(Preservative)
Paraben
Paraben
PARFUM
(Fragrance, Perfuming)

My Ingredient Notes

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Key ingredients

Glycolic Acid
Exfoliant
Arginine
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning, Emollient
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Skin Conditioning, Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Emollient, Skin Conditioning

Benefits

Good for dry skin

Concerns

Contains paraben
Contains silicone
Not fungal acne (malassezia) safe
Butylparaben — higher EWG
Propylparaben — higher EWG
Isobutylparaben — higher EWG
May not suit sensitive skin

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 →

Ingredients explained

Water
Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Solvent
Arginine
Fragrance, Hair conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceHair conditioningSkin conditioningAntistatic agentMasking
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion stabilising, Viscosity controlling
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Emulsion stabilisingViscosity controlling
Squalane
Emollient, Hair conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A EmollientHair conditioningRefattingSkin conditioning
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Skin conditioning, Emollient
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B Skin conditioningEmollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Emollient, Masking
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A EmollientMaskingPerfumingSkin conditioningSolvent
PEG-8 Dimethicone
Hair conditioning, Skin conditioning
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A Hair conditioningSkin conditioning
PEG-8 Ricinoleate
Emulsifying, Surfactant
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 EmulsifyingSurfactant
Sodium Hydroxide
Denaturant, Ph adjuster
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR B DenaturantPh adjusterBuffering agent
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Antioxidant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emulsion stabilising, Opacifying
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Emulsion stabilisingOpacifyingFoam boostingViscosity increasingagent - aqueousViscosity increasing agentEmollientEmulsifyingViscosity controlling
Ceteareth-20
Cleansing, Emulsifying
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR B CleansingEmulsifyingSurfactant
Steareth-2
Emulsifying, Surfactant
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR B EmulsifyingSurfactant
Tetrasodium EDTA
Chelating agent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A Chelating agent
Bisabolol
Fragrance, Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A FragranceSkin conditioningSoothing
+ 1 more — see the full ingredients list above
Glycolic Acid
Exfoliant, Ph adjuster
Skin irritation can occur at high concentrationRead moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR B ExfoliantPh adjusterBuffering agent Good for Oily SkinBad for Sensitive Skin
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying, Surfactant
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR B EmulsifyingSurfactant Fungal-acne trigger
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Fragrance, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B FragranceSkin conditioningEmollientPerfuming Fungal-acne trigger
Isopropyl Palmitate
Binding agent, Fragrance
Potentially comedogenic - can block poresRead moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B Binding agentFragranceSkin conditioningEmollientAntistatic agentBindingPerfumingSolvent Bad for Oily SkinFungal-acne trigger
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient, Emulsifying
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A EmollientEmulsifying Fungal-acne trigger
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A Surfactant Fungal-acne trigger
Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin conditioning, Humectant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Skin conditioningHumectant Good for Dry Skin
Glycerin
Denaturant, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A DenaturantFragranceHair conditioningHumectantOral care agentOral health care drugSkin protectingViscosity decreasing agentPerfumingSolvent Good for Dry SkinFungal-acne trigger
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant, Skin conditioning
Potentially comedogenic - can block poresRead moreShow less
EWG 3 AntioxidantSkin conditioning Bad for Oily Skin
Phenoxyethanol
Fragrance, Preservative
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR A FragrancePreservative Paraben
Dimethicone
Antifoaming agent, Skin protecting
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A Antifoaming agentSkin protectingEmollientSkin conditioning Silicone
Methylparaben
Fragrance, Preservative
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR A FragrancePreservative Paraben
Ethylparaben
Fragrance, Preservative
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR A FragrancePreservative Paraben
Butylparaben
Fragrance, Preservative
Higher-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 7 CIR A FragrancePreservativeMasking Paraben
Propylparaben
Fragrance, Preservative
Higher-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 7 CIR A FragrancePreservativePerfuming Paraben
+ 1 more — see the full ingredients list above

How to use

How to use

  • 1 Where it fits: Apply near the end of your routine, after thinner serums.
  • 2 Evening, start slow: Best in the PM a few times a week to begin with; avoid layering with other strong actives the same night.
  • 3 Wear SPF the next day: Acids and retinoids increase sun sensitivity — daily sunscreen is a must while using this.

General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.

Trust & honesty

Effective levels — general guide

The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.

Vitamin C (ascorbic) 5–20%

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.

Ascorbyl Glucoside

AHA (acid exfoliant) 5–10% (OTC)

OTC leave-on AHAs are usually 5–10%. The effect also depends on pH and free-acid value, not the percentage alone.

Glycolic Acid

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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