EWG Skin Deep® | Aesop Purifying Facial Exfoliant Paste Rating

EWG's Skin Deep®

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Data Availability:

Fair

Aesop Purifying Facial Exfoliant Paste

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Ingredient concerns

See how this product scores for common concerns.

LOW

Cancer
HIGH

Allergies & Immunotoxicity
LOW

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.

SILICA, CRYSTALLINE (QUARTZ)

Data Availability: Good

FUNCTION(S)	abrasive
CONCERNS	• Cancer (moderate) • Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low) • Persistence and bioaccumulation (high) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate)
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GLYCERYL STEARATE SE

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	emulsifying, surfactant - emulsifying agent
CONCERNS	• Enhanced skin absorption
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ROSA CANINA (DOG ROSE) FRUIT OIL

Data Availability: Fair

CONCERNS	• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate)
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OENOTHERA BIENNIS (EVENING PRIMROSE) OIL

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	emollient, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
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GLYCERIN

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	denaturant, humectant, perfuming, solvent, fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, oral care agent;oral health care drug, skin-conditioning agent - humectant, skin protectant, viscosity decreasing agent
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (moderate)
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C12-16 ALCOHOLS

Data Availability: Good

FUNCTION(S)	antistatic, emollient, emulsion stabilising, hair conditioning, viscosity controlling, emulsion stabilizer, viscosity increasing agent - nonaqueous
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LACTIC ACID

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	buffering, humectant, skin conditioning, exfoliant, fragrance ingredient, ph adjuster, skin-conditioning agent -humectant, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
CONCERNS	• Cancer (low) • Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low) • Enhanced skin absorption • Use restrictions (high) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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SODIUM COCOYL ISETHIONATE

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	cleansing, hair conditioning, surfactant, surfactant - cleansing agent
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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PHENOXYETHANOL

Data Availability: Good

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

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	binding, emulsifying, emulsion stabilising, gel forming, skin conditioning, surfactant, viscosity controlling, binder, emulsion stabilizer, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, surfactant -emulsifying agent, viscosity increasing agent - aqueous
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ORMENIS MULTICAULIS OIL

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	fragrance ingredient
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (low)
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SODIUM HYDROXIDE

Data Availability: Good

FUNCTION(S)	buffering, denaturant, ph adjuster
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (high) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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COCONUT FATTY ACID

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	cleansing, emollient, emulsifying, surfactant, surfactant - cleansing agentsurfactant-cleansing agent is included as a function for the soap form of coconut acid.
CONCERNS	• Multiple, additive exposure sources (low)
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SCLEROTIUM GUM

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	emulsion stabilising, skin conditioning, viscosity controlling, emulsion stabilizer, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, viscosity increasing agent -aqueous
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LECITHIN

Data Availability: Good

FUNCTION(S)	antistatic, emollient, emulsifying, skin conditioning, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, surfactant - emulsifying agent
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate) • Enhanced skin absorption • Use restrictions (low) • Multiple, additive exposure sources (low) • Contamination concerns (NITROSAMINES)
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PULLULAN

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	binding, film forming, binder, film former
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LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA (LAVENDER) OIL

Data Availability: Good

FUNCTION(S)	fragrance ingredient, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (low) • Endocrine disruption (moderate)
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ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS (ROSEMARY) LEAF OIL

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	masking, skin conditioning, fragrance ingredient, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
CONCERNS	• Cancer (low) • Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low) • Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate) • Enhanced skin absorption • Use restrictions (low) • Neurotoxicity (low) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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DISODIUM EDTA

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	chelating, viscosity controlling, chelating agent
CONCERNS	• Enhanced skin absorption • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high)
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SODIUM ISETHIONATE

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	antistatic, cleansing, hair conditioning, skin conditioning, not reported
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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SILICA, AMORPHOUS

Data Availability: Good

FUNCTION(S)	abrasive, absorbent, anticaking, opacifying, anticaking agent, bulking agent, opacifying agent, suspending agent- nonsurfactant
CONCERNS	• Cancer (moderate) • Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low) • Use restrictions (low) • Persistence and bioaccumulation (high) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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LIMONENE

Data Availability: Good

FUNCTION(S)	perfuming
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (high) • Persistence and bioaccumulation (moderate) • Ecotoxicology (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high) • Contamination concerns (FORMALDEHYDE)
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WATER

Data Availability: Robust

FUNCTION(S)	solvent
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LINALOOL

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	deodorant, masking, fragrance ingredient
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (high) • Contamination concerns (FORMALDEHYDE)
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Ingredients from packaging:

Water (Aqua), Quartz, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Glycerin, C12-16 Alcohols, Lactic Acid, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Ormenis Multicaulis Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Coconut Acid, Sclerotium Gum, Lecithin, Pullulan, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Isethionate, Silica, Limonene, Linalool

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.

PETA Cruelty-free Companies

Companies that join the "Caring Consumer" program of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a leading international animal rights advocacy organization, attest that "neither they nor their ingredient suppliers conduct or commission any animal tests on ingredients, formulations or finished products, and that they pledge not to do so in the future."

LEARN MORE ON PETA.ORG

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