amber
PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Manufacturing process can leave 1,4-dioxane (probable carcinogen) and ethylene oxide as contaminants. Look for 'vacuum-stripped' products.
Low Tox Gear · Scanner
Renewing SA Cleanser
Is CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser low tox? Our scanner flagged 4 ingredients (4 in the caution tier) on its published label, screened against our 237 source-cited chemical rules.
4 caution
4 ingredients flagged
What we flagged
amber
Salicylic Acid
BHA exfoliant; topical use restricted during pregnancy at high concentrations (oral aspirin equivalence).
amber
Cholesterol Sodium Benzoate
Implicated in childhood hyperactivity studies and reported MCAS trigger.
amber
Disodium EDTA
Chelating agent — generally tolerated but documented MCAS trigger in case reports.
Full ingredients (from label)
Purified WaterCocamidopropyl HydroxysultaineGlycerinSodium Lauroyl SarcosinateNiacinamideGluconolactoneSodium Methylcocoyl TauratePEG-150 Pentaerythrityl TetrastearateSalicylic AcidCeramide 6-11Ceramide 3Ceramide 1Hyaluronic AcidCholesterol Sodium BenzoateZea Mays (Corn) OilDisodium EDTASodium Lauroyl LactylateCholecalciferolPhytosphingosineXanthan GumCarbomerSodium Hydroxide.
How this analysis is generated
Each ingredient on this product's published label is matched against our 237 source-cited chemical rules, each documenting a concern from peer-reviewed research and regulatory sources. Severity tiers:
- Avoid (red) — banned or restricted in the EU, UK or Canada but still legal in the US, IARC-listed, or strong contact-allergen evidence.
- Caution (amber) — regulatory caution, contamination risk, or condition-specific irritant.
- Mild (green) — low concern but commonly avoided in low-tox formulations.
Each flag links to its primary chemical-level source, and each condition pill links to a PubMed-indexed paper that discusses the chemical class in the context of that condition. Every citation is a real peer-reviewed paper — we don't link to Wikipedia or PubMed search pages. Some pairs use a topically-broad paper (e.g. a fragrance-allergen patch-test review) rather than a single-pair study where the literature is thin. The full evidence chain (chemical → mechanism → condition → paper) is one click away.
This is automated analysis of a published label, not medical advice — always verify the label yourself before changing products. Methodology and source list at scan.lowtoxgear.com.