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Join for free →Simple's bestselling facial wash is built around Sodium Laureth Sulfate as the primary surfactant. SLES is an effective cleanser, but its use as the lead ingredient in a product marketed for sensitive skin creates a tension with the brand's 'no harsh chemicals' positioning: it is associated with potential manufacturing impurities and can disrupt the skin barrier with repeated use, particularly in sensitive and eczema-prone skin. Three ethoxylated co-ingredients compound that concern, and Cocamide MEA raises a nitrosamine precursor flag. Decyl Glucoside and Cocamidopropyl Betaine moderate harshness somewhat, and Panthenol, Bisabolol, and Allantoin are well-evidenced soothing actives that earn their place in a sensitive-skin formula. No artificial fragrance or colour are verified from the ingredient list.

Rs. 378 - Rs. 420 • Analysed 10 June 2026
India's hard water (high calcium and magnesium content) reacts with SLES to form insoluble soap films, reducing lather and leaving a dulling residue on skin. Users in Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai with hard water may find rinsing incomplete. Bisabolol and Allantoin are well-suited to darker Fitzpatrick skin types prone to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The product is widely available at pharmacy chains and modern trade at a strong value-for-money point for a fragrance-free option.
This is a web evidence review, not a Clean Sheet certification. We checked the ingredient list, publicly available test reports, marketing claims, and formula logic using only public information available at the time of review.
The full INCI list is published on the brand website and no Parfum, Fragrance, or scent-use essential oils are present.
No synthetic colourant ingredients are present in the published INCI list.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is the lead surfactant and is widely classified as a barrier disruptor in dermatology literature, which directly contradicts the 'no harsh chemicals' positioning.
The claim appears on packaging but no test report, laboratory name, method, or outcome data has been made publicly visible.
Fragrance-free and colour-free formulation supports sensitivity positioning, but the SLES-led surfactant system is a recognised barrier disruptor in sensitive and eczema-prone skin.
Public Evidence Score across 5 pillars. Open any row for the full rationale.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is the primary surfactant in this formula. SLES is an ethoxylated sulfate: the ethoxylation process introduces a risk of 1,4-dioxane as a manufacturing impurity. While finished-product levels are typically low, three additional ethoxylated compounds are also present (PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, and Laureth-10), each carrying the same impurity pathway. SLES is also a recognised barrier disruptor with repeated use, particularly for sensitive and eczema-prone skin. Cocamide MEA is a nitrosamine precursor; the US cosmetics safety body advises formulators to verify that no nitrosating agents are present in such formulas. On the positive side, there is no synthetic fragrance, no parabens, and no artificial colour. As a rinse-off product, overall exposure is considerably lower than a leave-on formula would be.
SLES is an effective cleanser, but it sits at odds with a 'kind to skin' positioning for sensitive users. Milder alternatives such as Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate or Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate are widely used in sensitive-skin formulations and would better align with the brand's claims. Decyl Glucoside, a sugar-derived surfactant, and Cocamidopropyl Betaine, an amphoteric co-surfactant, meaningfully reduce the harshness of the SLES system. Bisabolol, derived from German Chamomile, is a well-evidenced anti-inflammatory active. Allantoin supports skin repair. Panthenol aids post-cleanse hydration. The soothing actives appear towards the lower end of the ingredient list, which suggests the concentrations are modest, though exact amounts are not publicly disclosed. Glycol Distearate creates the pearlescent texture but has no skin function.
The brand's 'no artificial perfume, no artificial colour' claims are verified from the ingredient list, which is a meaningful and genuine commitment for a mass-market cleanser. However, the 'no harsh chemicals' claim is not publicly supported: SLES is classified as a barrier disruptor in dermatology literature and is widely considered a harsh surfactant for sensitive skin. Its presence as the lead surfactant directly contradicts that claim. The full ingredient list is published on the brand website. PETA cruelty-free certification is independently verified. 'Dermatologically tested' is stated on-pack without a published report, lab name, or method.
“No artificial perfume” The full INCI list is published on the brand website and no Parfum, Fragrance, or scent-use essential oils are present.
“No artificial colour” No synthetic colourant ingredients are present in the published INCI list.
“No harsh chemicals” Sodium Laureth Sulfate is the lead surfactant and is widely classified as a barrier disruptor in dermatology literature, which directly contradicts the 'no harsh chemicals' positioning.
Simple publishes the full INCI on the brand website, which is the foundational level of transparency. The 'dermatologically tested' claim is mentioned on packaging, but no study design, sample size, outcome data, or testing laboratory has been made publicly visible. No preservative efficacy test result is publicly accessible. No third-party safety assessment is linked. The brand mentions testing without providing the documentation that would verify it. This puts the evidence at a Grade C level, where the brand acknowledges testing exists but the supporting materials are not public.
Use instructions and suitability guidance for sensitive skin are clear on the product page. Frequency guidance for daily use is stated. The product page does not include explicit warnings about the barrier-disruption potential of SLES for eczema-prone users, which would improve honest guidance for the sensitive-skin audience this product is positioned for.
| Ingredient |
|---|
Aqua |
Sodium Laureth Sulfate |
Decyl Glucoside |
Cocamidopropyl Betaine |
Propylene Glycol |
PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate |
Sodium Chloride |
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate |
Panthenol |
Tocopheryl Acetate |
Allantoin |
Bisabolol |
Glycol Distearate |
Phenoxyethanol |
Sodium Benzoate |
Potassium Sorbate |
Citric Acid |
Polyquaternium-39 |
Laureth-10 |
Cocamide MEA |
Disodium EDTA |
INCI order as declared on packaging. Position reflects approximate concentration (high to low).
No obvious public red flag found
No obvious public red flag found
Potential concern found - Cocamide MEA (nitrosamine precursor, Hotlist flagged)
No obvious public red flag found
No obvious public red flag found
No obvious public red flag found
No obvious carcinogenicity flag found
No obvious public red flag found
No obvious public red flag found
Not triggered
Flags are based on publicly available INCI only. Not a substitute for full regulatory compliance review.
The full INCI list is published on the brand website and no Parfum, Fragrance, or scent-use essential oils are present.
Evidence visible
No synthetic colourant ingredients are present in the published INCI list.
Evidence visible
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is the lead surfactant and is widely classified as a barrier disruptor in dermatology literature, which directly contradicts the 'no harsh chemicals' positioning.
Missing
The claim appears on packaging but no test report, laboratory name, method, or outcome data has been made publicly visible.
Mentioned only
Fragrance-free and colour-free formulation supports sensitivity positioning, but the SLES-led surfactant system is a recognised barrier disruptor in sensitive and eczema-prone skin.
Mentioned only
Public evidence the brand could provide to close verification gaps
This assessment is based only on publicly available INCI, claims, and test evidence. It is not a full Clean Sheet certification. Full certification requires confidential formula review, exact concentrations, supplier documentation, manufacturing records, packaging compatibility, preservative efficacy, stability, and complete claim validation.
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