
Highlights
WHAT IS IT?
Gentle exfoliating cream scrub
FEATURES
Polishes and refines skin's texture, gentle enough for daily use, creamy formula
BEST FOR
combination
CHECKS
Free of fragrance, parabens, phthalates, gluten, drying alcohol, synthetic colors, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate
Who Is It For?
All Ages All GendersWhat Does It Help With?
Removes Dulling Flakes And Excess Oil Refines Skin TextureBudget
Affordable (under $30)How To Use
Which routine should it be used in?
Instructions:
Key Information
What Clinique Says
Product Description:
Gentle exfoliating cream polishes and refines skin's texture. Dermatologist developed. Allergy tested. 100% fragrance free.
About the Brand:
Ingredients Overview
Ingredients List
Water\Aqua\Eau, Tridecyl Stearate, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Silica, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Sorbitol, Hexyldecyl Stearate, Bisabolol, Disodium Cocoamphodipropionate, Triethanolamine, Oleth-10 Phosphate, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Stearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Chlorphenesin
Key Ingredients
Silica
Ingredients Details
Butylene Glycol
Common Name(s): 1,3-butanediol,bg,1,3-butylene glycol
CAS Number: 107-88-0
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Provides humectant hydration and active ingredient solubilization with excellent skin feel.
Why It's Used: Preferred glycol humectant in premium and k-beauty formulations for superior skin feel vs propylene glycol with equivalent functionality.
How It Works: Two hydroxyl groups at 1,3-positions provide water binding and solvent activity. better tolerated than propylene glycol with minimal sensitization risk. 4-carbon backbone provides slightly greater hydrophobic character enabling dissolution of less polar actives vs pg.
Typically Found In: Toners,essences,serums,k-beauty formulas
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Functional ingredient โ glycol humectant
Secondary Functions: Tewl reduction,skin plumping
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 1%โ10%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes โ synthetic
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Synthetic or naturally derived. excellent aqueous solubility.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 โ non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating; suitable for all skin types.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Excellent safety profile. ewg score: 1.
Works Well With: Ceramides,emollients,occlusives,glycerin,hyaluronic acid
Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
K-beauty's preference for butylene glycol over propylene glycol is driven by two factors: bg's superior skin feel (less tacky than pg's higher viscosity) and its lower sensitization potential (1,3-bg has better spatial distribution of hydroxyl groups that reduces protein interaction vs pg's 1,2-position oh groups).
Last Verified: Cosing database,cir safety assessment
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Caprylic/capric Triglyceride
Common Name(s): Mct oil,fractionated coconut oil,c8/c10 triglyceride
CAS Number: 73398-61-5
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Lightweight, stable emollient that solubilizes oil-soluble actives for excellent delivery without greasy feel.
Why It's Used: Universal lightweight emollient base and solubilizer for oil-soluble actives in serums and low-viscosity formulations where mineral oil or petrolatum would be too heavy.
How It Works: Medium-chain length provides ideal balance of spreading coefficient, penetration rate, and barrier-sealing properties. excellent solubilizer for vitamin e, retinoids, and other lipophilic actives.
Typically Found In: Serums,facial oils,sunscreens,anti-aging products,hair products
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Active ingredient โ medium-chain triglyceride emollient
Secondary Functions: Active solubilizer,spreading agent
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 1%โ50%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes โ from coconut/palm kernel oil
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Fractionated by hydrolysis and re-esterification of coconut oil. only c8 and c10 fatty acids retained.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 1/5 โ very low; medium-chain length generally non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Excellent safety profile. ewg score: 1.
Works Well With: Humectants,ceramides,actives as carrier
Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Mct oil's medium-chain length (c8/c10) provides superior oxidative stability vs longer polyunsaturated chains and better skin aesthetics (lighter, less greasy) vs longer chain emollients (c16/c18). excellent solubilizer for retinoic acid, tocopheryl esters, and other lipophilic actives.
Last Verified: Cosing database,cir safety assessment,ewg skin deep
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Cetearyl Alcohol
Common Name(s): Cetostearyl alcohol,c16-18 fatty alcohol
CAS Number: 8005-44-5
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Provides fatty alcohol emulsification and thickening for stable, well-textured emulsions.
Why It's Used: The most widely used fatty alcohol in cosmetics โ provides emulsification, thickening, and emolliency simultaneously from a single ingredient with excellent safety profile.
How It Works: Forms bilayer lamellar structures in water with emulsifiers creating a viscous structured network that thickens and stabilizes emulsions. fatty alcohol emolliency provides direct skin conditioning. bilayer formation reduces inter-droplet coalescence in emulsions.
Typically Found In: Creams,lotions,conditioners โ virtually all emulsion products
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Functional ingredient โ fatty alcohol emulsifier/thickener
Secondary Functions: Barrier sealing,softening
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 1%โ25%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes โ from vegetable or coconut/palm fatty acids
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Plant-derived, synthetic or animal-derived. verify source.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 1/5 โ low; formulation-dependent
Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Excellent safety profile. ewg score: 1.
Works Well With: Humectants,ceramides,actives as carrier
Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Cetearyl alcohol's ability to form lamellar liquid crystal structures ('krafft phases') with water and co-emulsifiers provides not only emulsion stability but also enhanced skin penetration via the lamellar skin barrier pathway. these crystalline structures can act as a reservoir for active ingredients, slowly releasing them as the lamellar structure melts on skin contact.
Last Verified: Cosing database,cir safety assessment
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Cocos Nucifera (coconut) Oil
Common Name(s): Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil,cosmetic active,functional ingredient
CAS Number: N/a
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Delivers characteristic cosmetic function โ skin conditioning, protection, preservation, or active biological benefit โ at recommended use concentration.
Why It's Used: Selected for its functional contribution and formulation compatibility โ supported by cosmetic science literature and regulatory safety assessment.
How It Works: Works through the mechanism of its molecular class โ physicochemical interaction with the formulation or biological interaction with skin proteins, lipids, or receptors as documented in peer-reviewed literature.
Typically Found In: Skin care formulations
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Active ingredient โ cosmetic active
Secondary Functions: Skin conditioning
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 0.1%โ10%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Conditional
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Commercially produced for cosmetic use. verify vegan/halal status with supplier.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 โ non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Well-tolerated by most skin types.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Good safety profile at recommended concentrations. ewg score: 1โ2.
Works Well With: Standard skincare actives
Avoid Combining With: No known significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil delivers documented functional benefit with an established safety profile within the cosmetic regulatory framework (cosing eu, cir usa).
Last Verified: Cosing database,cocos nucifera (coconut) oil technical literature
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12