Deep Cleansing Face Wash

Proactiv

Where to buy Possibly in stock

About this product

The Proactiv Deep Cleansing Face Wash is a cleanser. Our analysis of its 29 ingredients (23 low-risk) rates it Excellent (95/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone and 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
Cleansers
Ingredients
29
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

PH Level

(Know the PH? Submit it here! )

N/A - No submissions yet

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 9/8
Good for dry skin
Distearyl Phthalic Acid Amide Cetyl Alcohol Stearyl Alcohol Caprylyl Glycol Butylene Glycol Coconut Acid Synthetic Wax Jojoba Esters Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Caution for dry skin
Cetyl Alcohol Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate Stearyl Alcohol Coconut Acid Hexylene Glycol Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Sodium Hydroxide Menthol
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin 1/0
Good for oily/acne-prone skin
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Sensitive Skin 5/13
Good for sensitive skin
Jojoba Esters Sodium Sulfite Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Menthol Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Caution for sensitive skin
Cetyl Alcohol Sodium Chloride Stearyl Alcohol Butylene Glycol Synthetic Wax Hexylene Glycol Citric Acid Isopropyl Alcohol Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Sodium Benzoate Potassium Sorbate Menthol Phenoxyethanol

Ingredients list

29 total
Lower hazard (1) Higher hazard (4)
All29 Skin Conditioning14 Fragrance13 Masking9 Viscosity Controlling8 Emollient8 Viscosity Increasing Agent6 Emulsion Stabilising6 Surfactant5
EWG CIR Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions Notes
1
Water
(Solvent)
4
B
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
(Antistatic Agent, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Sufactant, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling)
1
Distearyl Phthalic Acid Amide
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient)
1
A
Synthetic Wax
(Binding Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Fragrance, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Antistatic Agent, Binding, Emollient, Masking, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Stearyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Fragrance, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Foambooster, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Foam Boosting, Masking, Opacifying, Refatting, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Cetyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Fragrance, Opacifying, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Masking, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Jojoba Esters
(Emollient, Moisturising, Skin Conditioning, Soothing)
1
Sodium Chloride
(Bulking Agent, Masking, Oral Care Agent, Viscosity Controlling)
1
B
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
(Cleansing, Foaming, Surfactant)
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
2
A
Citric Acid
(Chelating Agent, Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent, Masking)
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
B
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
(Skin Conditioning)
Good for Sensitive Skin
Good for Sensitive Skin
1
B
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
(Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Astringent, Emollient, Humectant, Masking, Oral Care Agent, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Tonic, Uv Absorber)
Good for Oily Skin
Good for Oily Skin
1
A
Coconut Acid
(Cleansing, Emollient, Emulsifying, Surfactant)
1
Menthol
(Denaturant, External Analgesic, Flavoring Agent, Fragrance, Oral Health Caredrug, Masking, Refreshing, Soothing)
Good for Oily Skin
Good for Oily Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Dry Skin
Bad for Dry Skin
3
A
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
(Sufactant, Emulsifying)
1
A
Caprylyl Glycol
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Humectant)
1
A
Hexylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Emulsifying, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant)
1
A
Ethylhexylglycerin
(Deodorant, Skin Conditioning)
ASCORBIC ACID
(Antioxidant, Buffering, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Butylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Solvent, Viscositydecreasing Agent, Humectant, Masking, Viscosity Controlling)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
1
A
Disodium EDTA
(Chelating Agent, Viscosity Controlling)
2
A
Isopropyl Alcohol
(Antifoaming Agent, Fragrance, Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Viscosity Controlling)
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
3
B
Sodium Hydroxide
(Denaturant, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent)
4
A
Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative)
Paraben
Paraben
3
A
Sodium Benzoate
(Fragrance, Preservative, Anticorrosive, Masking)
2
A
Sodium Sulfite
(Antioxidant, Hair Waving Or Straightening, Reducing, Preservative)
3
A
Potassium Sorbate
(Fragrance, Preservative)
PARFUM
(Fragrance, Perfuming)
2
4
Chromium Hydroxide Green
(Cosmetic Colorant, Hair Dyeing)

My Ingredient Notes

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Key ingredients

Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Skin Conditioning
Distearyl Phthalic Acid Amide
Skin Conditioning, Emollient
Synthetic Wax
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient, Moisturising

Benefits

Good for dry skin
Good for oily/acne-prone skin

Concerns

Contains paraben
Not fungal acne (malassezia) safe
May not suit sensitive skin

Ingredients explained

Water
Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Solvent
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Antistatic agent, Hair conditioning
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR B Antistatic agentHair conditioningSkin conditioningSufactantFoam boostingViscosity increasing agentViscosity controlling
Distearyl Phthalic Acid Amide
Skin conditioning, Emollient
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Skin conditioningEmollient
Synthetic Wax
Binding agent, Emulsion stabilising
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Binding agentEmulsion stabilisingFragranceViscosity increasing agentAntistatic agentBindingEmollientMaskingViscosity controlling
Stearyl Alcohol
Emulsion stabilising, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Emulsion stabilisingFragranceEmulsifyingSurfactant- foamboosterViscosity increasing agentEmollientFoam boostingMaskingOpacifyingRefattingViscosity controlling
Cetyl Alcohol
Emulsion stabilising, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Emulsion stabilisingFragranceOpacifyingEmulsifyingSurfactantFoam boostingViscosity increasing agentEmollientMaskingViscosity controlling
Jojoba Esters
Emollient, Moisturising
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A EmollientMoisturisingSkin conditioningSoothing
Sodium Chloride
Bulking agent, Masking
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Bulking agentMaskingOral care agentViscosity controlling
Coconut Acid
Cleansing, Emollient
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A CleansingEmollientEmulsifyingSurfactant
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Sufactant, Emulsifying
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A SufactantEmulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Hair conditioning, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Hair conditioningSkin conditioningEmollientHumectant
Hexylene Glycol
Fragrance, Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceSolventViscosity decreasing agentEmulsifyingPerfumingSkin conditioningSurfactant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Deodorant, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A DeodorantSkin conditioning
ASCORBIC ACID
Antioxidant, Buffering
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A AntioxidantBufferingFragranceSkin conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Chelating agent, Viscosity controlling
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Chelating agentViscosity controlling
+ 6 more — see the full ingredients list above
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing, Foaming
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B CleansingFoamingSurfactant Fungal-acne trigger
Citric Acid
Chelating agent, Fragrance
Skin irritation can occur at high concentrationRead moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A Chelating agentFragrancePh adjusterBuffering agentMasking Bad for Sensitive Skin
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A CIR B Skin conditioning Good for Sensitive Skin
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial, Antioxidant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B AntimicrobialAntioxidantAstringentEmollientHumectantMaskingOral care agentSkin conditioningSkin protectingTonicUv absorber Good for Oily Skin
Menthol
Denaturant, External analgesic
Potentially a skin irritantRead moreShow less
EWG 1 DenaturantExternal analgesicFlavoring agentFragranceOral health caredrugMaskingRefreshingSoothing Good for Oily SkinBad for Sensitive SkinBad for Dry Skin
Butylene Glycol
Fragrance, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceSkin conditioningSolventViscositydecreasing agentHumectantMaskingViscosity controlling Good for Dry Skin
Isopropyl Alcohol
Antifoaming agent, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A Antifoaming agentFragranceSolventViscosity decreasing agentPerfumingViscosity controlling Bad for Sensitive Skin
Phenoxyethanol
Fragrance, Preservative
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR A FragrancePreservative Paraben

How to use

How to use

  • 1 Where it fits: Use as the first step, on clean hands, before the rest of your routine.
  • 2 Morning only: Apply as the last step of your AM routine, after moisturiser, and reapply every ~2 hours of sun exposure.

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.

ASCORBIC 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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