What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Urea
Buffering
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Triethanolamine
BufferingMethyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emulsifying
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingLactic Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylene Brassylate
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningUrea
Buffering
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
PEG-8 Distearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
PEG-100 Stearate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Triethanolamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tetrasodium EDTA
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
3-Methyl-4-(2,4,6-Trimethyl-3-Cyclohexenyl)-3-Buten-2-One
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Methylpentenylcyclohexene Carbaldehyde
Perfuming
Water, Urea, Paraffinum Liquidum, Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Isopropyl Myristate, PEG-8 Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyethyl Urea, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Allantoin, Caprylyl Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol, Limonene, Geraniol, 3-Methyl-4-(2,4,6-Trimethyl-3-Cyclohexenyl)-3-Buten-2-One, Linalool, Methylpentenylcyclohexene Carbaldehyde
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerParaffinum Liquidum is a highly-refined cosmetic-grade mineral oil. It is also known as liquid paraffin.
Despite its controversial reputation, the science is pretty clear: it's one of the most well-studied and effective moisturizing ingredients out there.
As an occlusive, it forms a protective layer on the skin that locks in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This makes it especially great for compromised skin barriers.
The "it clogs your pores" myth has been around for decades; a study found that industrial-grade mineral oil may be comedogenic but cosmetic-grade mineral oil is not (these two are very, very different).
A 2017 review concluded that cosmetic use of mineral oils and waxes does not present a risk to consumers due to absorption.
Mineral oil got a bad rap from the old rabbit ear studies. When tested on actual human skin, cosmetic-grade mineral oil showed no comedogenic activity. The rating of 0 is a correction of outdated science.
Mineral oil is an inert substance with no fatty acids so there's nothing to feed Malassezia. This ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Paraffinum LiquidumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolTriethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
If you are looking for the tea leaf ingredient, click here.
Learn more about TriethanolamineUrea is also called carbamide and is the diamide of carbonic acid. In cosmetics, urea is used to hydrate the skin. It also provides exfoliation in higher concentrations.
As a humectant, urea helps draw moisture from the air and from deep within the skin. This helps hydrate your skin. Studies show urea is an effective moisturizer for dry skin conditions. 40% urea is typical in medications for treating eczema and other skin conditions.
Urea has the strongest exfoliation effect in concentrations higher than 10%. It is a keratolytic agent, meaning it breaks down the keratin protein in the top layer of skin. This helps remove dead skin cells and flaking skin.
In medicine, urea has been shown to help increase the potency of other ingredients, such as fungal treatments.
Humans and animals use urea to metabolize nitrogen-containing compounds. Urea is highly soluble in water. Once dissolved, it is neither acidic nor alkaline.
Urea is actually one of the more well-studied and well-supported ingredients out there if you have eczema.
Clinical trials have shown that urea creams in the 5 - 10% range can:
Higher concentrations (20 -30%) can also help with thickened, scaly patches but is also more likely to sting on active flares.
Skip urea if you have rosacea. The AAD (American Academy of Dermatology) lists it alongside alcohol, menthol, and fragrance as a potential irritant for rosacea-prone skin. Urea's keratolytic and penetration-enhancing properties can trigger stinging, burning, and redness.
As always, your skin is unique, so definitely check in with your dermatologist.
Learn more about UreaWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
