If you've ever shopped for a "gentle" cleanser, you've probably seen ingredients like cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB), decyl glucoside, coco glucoside, or lauryl glucoside.
These ingredients have become the default recommendation for sensitive skin.
But if you've followed our work, you'll notice something unusual:
Vetted Cleanser contains none of them.
Here's why.
First, what exactly is a surfactant?
Every cleanser needs surfactants.
Surfactants are molecules with two personalities:
- one end grabs oil
- the other grabs water
They surround dirt, sunscreen, makeup, and excess oil so everything can rinse away.
Without surfactants, a cleanser simply wouldn't cleanse.
The goal isn't to avoid surfactants.
The goal is choosing the right surfactants.
Not all "gentle" surfactants are created equal
For years, dermatologists have focused on avoiding harsh detergents like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), which can strip lipids from the skin barrier and increase irritation.
That led many companies toward newer surfactants such as:
- Cocamidopropyl betaine
- Decyl glucoside
- Coco glucoside
- Lauryl glucoside
These ingredients generally produce creamy foam and are often marketed as ideal for sensitive skin.
But there is another side to the story.
The allergy problem
As dermatologists specializing in contact dermatitis, we don't only think about irritation.
We also think about allergic contact dermatitis.
Cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB)
CAPB is among the most common surfactants associated with allergic contact dermatitis. Interestingly, the allergy often results from manufacturing impurities (DMAPA and amidoamine) rather than CAPB itself.
Glucosides
Decyl glucoside.
Lauryl glucoside.
Coco glucoside.
These plant-derived surfactants have become increasingly popular because they're perceived as "natural."
Yet over the past two decades, dermatologists have seen a steady increase in allergy to this entire family of ingredients. They're now recognized as emerging contact allergens and are increasingly included in patch testing.
Ironically, many products marketed for "sensitive skin" still contain them.
Sensitive skin isn't just about irritation
Many skincare brands ask:
Will this sting?
We ask another question:
Could someone become allergic to it?
Those aren't the same thing.
A cleanser can feel gentle while still containing ingredients capable of triggering allergic contact dermatitis in susceptible individuals.
That distinction matters—especially if you have eczema, a damaged skin barrier, chronic facial dermatitis, or unexplained irritation.
Our philosophy
When we developed Vetted Cleanser, we started with a different goal.
Instead of choosing the most common "gentle" surfactants, we asked:
How can we effectively cleanse while avoiding surfactants that dermatologists regularly identify as causes of allergic contact dermatitis?
The result is a cleanser that is:
- free of cocamidopropyl betaine
- free of alkyl glucosides
- free of fragrance
- free of essential oils
- free of the North American Contact Dermatitis Group screening allergens
Because for truly sensitive skin, every ingredient matters.
The bottom line
Every cleanser requires surfactants.
The question isn't whether a cleanser contains them.
It's which surfactants it contains.
For most people, CAPB or glucosides may never cause a problem.
But if you have eczema, sensitive skin, or allergic contact dermatitis—or simply want to minimize unnecessary exposure to common contact allergens—ingredient selection becomes much more important.
That's why we formulated ours differently.
