
Highlights
WHAT IS IT?
Facial cleanser
FEATURES
Soap-free, foaming gel, pH-balanced
BEST FOR
Dry, sensitive skin
CHECKS
Free of fragrance, colorants, parabens, alcohol
Who Is It For?
Adults Both Women And MenWhat Does It Help With?
Dry Skin Sensitive SkinBudget
AffordableHow To Use
Which routine should it be used in?
Instructions:
Key Information
What Physiogel Says
Product Description:
Mild and gentle, soap-free, foaming gel facial cleanser for dry and sensitive skin.
About the Brand:
Ingredients Overview
Ingredients List
Water, PEG-90, Cetearyl Alcohol, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Methylparaben, Citric Acid, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Parfum
Key Ingredients
PEG-90, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Ingredients Details
Butylparaben
Common Name(s): Cosmetic preservative,microbial growth inhibitor,product stability agent
CAS Number: N/a
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Prevents microbial contamination that would otherwise render water-containing cosmetics unsafe โ inhibiting bacterial, fungal, and yeast growth through membrane disruption, enzyme inhibition, or metabolic interference at permitted regulatory concentrations.
Why It's Used: Preservatives are safety-critical โ un-preserved water-containing cosmetics can develop dangerous microbial contamination (pseudomonas aeruginosa eye infections, s. aureus skin infections) within days. preservation is a regulatory requirement, not an optional enhancement.
How It Works: Mechanism varies by class: organic acids (benzoic, dehydroacetic) disrupt intracellular ph in bacteria and fungi by proton flux across membranes; parabens inhibit membrane-associated enzyme function; chlorhexidine disrupts bacterial and fungal membrane integrity through divalent ion chelation of membrane phospholipids.
Typically Found In: All aqueous 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: Check annex v eu limits
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes
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
Eu regulation 1223/2009 annex v lists all permitted preservatives with maximum concentrations โ preservatives not listed are prohibited. formulators must verify both permitted status and maximum concentration for each market before finalising preservation systems.
Last Verified: Eu regulation 1223/2009 annex v,cosmetic preservative regulatory review
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
Citric Acid
Common Name(s): Lemon acid,2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid
CAS Number: 77-92-9
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Adjusts ph to optimal ranges, chelates destabilizing metal ions, provides mild exfoliation at higher concentrations.
Why It's Used: Universal cosmetic ph adjuster and chelating agent. aha exfoliant activity is secondary.
How It Works: As ph adjuster, donates protons. as chelating agent, three carboxylic groups bind divalent metals (caยฒโบ, mgยฒโบ, feยฒโบ) preventing oxidative degradation.
Typically Found In: Nearly all cosmetic formulations,brightening products,exfoliants
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Active ingredient โ alpha hydroxy acid (aha)
Secondary Functions: Chelating agent,ph adjustment,preservation enhancement
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: Yes โ synthetic or fermentation-derived
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Produced by fermentation of sugars by aspergillus niger. gras (e330). most abundant organic acid in citrus.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low at low concentrations; 2/5 at exfoliant concentrations
Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 โ non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Photosensitizing โ mandatory spf use. start at low frequency.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Use with caution โ spf required
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Safe at otc concentrations. eu: โค10% leave-on at ph โฅ3.5. mandatory spf advisory.
Works Well With: Niacinamide,ceramides,hyaluronic acid,spf
Avoid Combining With: Retinol in same step; multiple exfoliants simultaneously
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Three carboxylic acid groups provide multiple proton donation sites and stronger chelation than monocarboxylic ahas. this makes citric acid the preferred cosmetic chelating agent alongside edta.
Last Verified: Cosing database,cir safety assessment,ewg skin deep
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Disodium Phosphate
Common Name(s): Disodium phosphate,cosmetic active,functional ingredient
CAS Number: N/a
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Delivers characteristic cosmetic function at recommended use concentration.
Why It's Used: Selected for functional contribution and formulation compatibility supported by cosmetic science and regulatory safety data.
How It Works: Works through the mechanism of its molecular class as documented in peer-reviewed cosmetic 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
Disodium phosphate has an established safety profile within the cosmetic regulatory framework at standard use concentrations.
Last Verified: Cosing database,disodium phosphate technical literature
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12