EWG Skin Deep® | Alpha-H Balancing Moisturizer & Gentle Exfoliant Rating

HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES LEARN MORE ABOUT EWG VERIFIED®

Data Availability:

Limited

Alpha-H Balancing Moisturizer & Gentle Exfoliant

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Ingredient concerns

See how this product scores for common concerns.

LOW

Cancer
HIGH

Allergies & Immunotoxicity
MODERATE

Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity
HIGH

Use Restrictions

Ingredient scores

Ingredients are scored based on their formulation and concentration in this product. Click on an ingredient for more information.

WATER
Appeared as: AQUA (WATER)

Data Availability: Robust

FUNCTION(S)	solvent
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GLYCOLIC ACID

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	exfoliant, ph adjuster, buffering
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (high) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high)
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ALOE BARBADENSIS (ALOE VERA) LEAF JUICE
Appeared as: ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF JUICE

Data Availability: Limited

CONCERNS	• Cancer (moderate) • Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low) • Use restrictions (low)
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POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	ph adjuster, buffering
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (high) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low) • Occupational hazards (high)
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CETYL ALCOHOL

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	emulsion stabilizer, fragrance ingredient, opacifying agent, surfactant - emulsifying agent;surfactant - foam booster, viscosity increasing agent - aqueous, viscosity increasing agent -nonaqueous, emollient, emulsifying, emulsion stabilising, foam boosting, masking, opacifying, surfactant, viscosity controlling
CONCERNS	• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate)
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DECAMETHYLCYCLOPENTASILOXANE
Appeared as: CYCLOMETHICONE

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	antistatic, emollient, hair conditioning, humectant, solvent, viscosity controlling
CONCERNS	• Developmental/reproductive toxicity (moderate) • Enhanced skin absorption • Use restrictions (high) • Endocrine disruption (moderate) • Persistence and bioaccumulation (high) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Ecotoxicology (low)
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ETHYLHEXYL PALMITATE

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	fragrance ingredient, skin-conditioning agent - emollient, emollient, perfuming
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (moderate)
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SORBITOL

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	flavoring agent, fragrance ingredient, humectant, skin-conditioning agent - humectant, plasticiser, skin conditioning
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CETETH-20

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	surfactant - cleansing agent, surfactant - solubilizing agent, emulsifying
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low) • Contamination concerns (ETHYLENE OXIDE and 1,4-DIOXANE)
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STEARIC ACID

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	fragrance ingredient, surfactant - cleansing agent, surfactant - emulsifying agentsurfactant-cleansing agent is included as a function for the soap form of stearic acid., cleansing, emulsifying, emulsion stabilising, masking, refatting, surfactant
CONCERNS	• Multiple, additive exposure sources (low)
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PEG-100 STEARATE

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	surfactant - cleansing agent
CONCERNS	• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low) • Contamination concerns (ETHYLENE OXIDE and 1,4-DIOXANE)
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GLYCERYL MONOSTEARATE
Appeared as: GLYCERYL STEARATE

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	fragrance ingredient, skin-conditioning agent - emollient, surfactant - emulsifying agent, emollient, emulsifying
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STEARYL HEPTANOATE

Data Availability: None

FUNCTION(S)	skin-conditioning agent - occlusive, emollient, skin conditioning
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (low)
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PRUNUS AMYGDALUS DULCIS (SWEET ALMOND) OIL
Appeared as: PRUNUS AMYGDALUS (SWEET ALMOND) DULCIS OIL

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	fragrance ingredient, skin-conditioning agent - occlusive
CONCERNS	• Enhanced skin absorption • Multiple, additive exposure sources (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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GLYCERIN

Data Availability: Good

FUNCTION(S)	denaturant, fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, humectant, oral care agent;oral health care drug, skin-conditioning agent - humectant, skin protectant, viscosity decreasing agent, perfuming, solvent
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (moderate)
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PHENOXYETHANOL

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	fragrance ingredient, preservative
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (low) • Use restrictions (moderate) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high) • Occupational hazards (high)
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POLYSORBATE-20

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	fragrance ingredient, surfactant - emulsifying agent, surfactant - solubilizing agent
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (low) • Use restrictions (low) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low) • Contamination concerns (ETHYLENE OXIDE and 1,4-DIOXANE)
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DIMETHICONE

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	antifoaming agent, skin-conditioning agent - occlusive, skin protectant, antifoaming, emollient, skin conditioning, skin protecting
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (moderate) • Persistence and bioaccumulation (high) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Ecotoxicology (low)
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HYALURONIC ACID

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, viscosity increasing agent - aqueous, antistatic, humectant, moisturising, skin conditioning
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HYDROLYZED COLLAGEN
Appeared as: HYDROLYSED COLLAGEN

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	hair conditioning agent, nail conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, antistatic, emollient, film forming, hair conditioning, humectant, skin conditioning
CONCERNS	• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate)
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TOCOPHERYL ACETATE

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	antioxidant, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, skin conditioning
CONCERNS	• Cancer (low) • Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate) • Contamination concerns (HYDROQUINONE)
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MENTHOL

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	denaturant, external analgesic, flavoring agent, fragrance ingredient, oral health caredrug, masking, refreshing, soothing
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (high) • Multiple, additive exposure sources (low)
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PIROCTONE OLAMINE

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	cosmetic biocide, preservative
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (moderate)
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CAMELLIA SINENSIS (GREEN TEA) LEAF EXTRACT
Appeared as: CAMELLIA SINENSIS (TEA) LEAF EXTRACT

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	antioxidant, fragrance ingredient, oral care agent, skin-conditioning agent -miscellaneous, ultraviolet light absorber, antimicrobial, astringent, emollient, humectant, masking, oral care, skin conditioning, skin protecting, tonic, uv absorber
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate) • Use restrictions (moderate)
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Ingredients from packaging:

Aqua (Water), Glycolic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Potassium Hydroxide, Cetyl Alcohol, Cyclomethicone, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbitol, Ceteth-20, Stearic Acid, Peg-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Heptanoate, Prunus Amygdalus (Sweet Almond) Dulcis Oil, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20, Dimethicone, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolysed Collagen, Tocopheryl Acetate, Menthol, Piroctone Olamine, Camellia Sinensis (Tea) Leaf Extract.

Product's animal testing policies

Some cosmetics companies have taken People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and Leaping Bunny animal-testing pledges. For consumers who are concerned about companies’ policies on animal testing, Skin Deep reports this information.

Unknown

Leading international certifiers PETA and Leaping Bunny have no information concerning this company’s use of animal testing.

Understanding scores

Cosmetics and personal care products are not required to be tested for safety before being allowed on the market. The Skin Deep® scoring system was designed to help the public understand whether a product is safe to use or whether it contains ingredients of concern.

Every product and ingredient in Skin Deep gets a two-part score – one for hazard and one for data availability. The safest products score well by both measures, with a low hazard rating and a fair or better data availability rating.

HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES

Hazard score

The Skin Deep ingredient hazard score, from 1 to 10, reflects known and suspected hazards linked to the ingredients. The EWG VERIFIED^® mark means a product meets EWG’s strictest criteria for transparency and health.

Data availability

The Skin Deep data availability rating reflects the number of scientific studies about the product or ingredient in the published scientific literature.

NONE LIMITED FAIR GOOD ROBUST

Low Availability

Moderate Availability

High Availability