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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of CeraVe Itch Relief Moisturizing Cream versus Aveeno Eczema Therapy Itch Relief Balm .

Last updated on April 17, 2024. Published on July 01, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 12 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain ceramides

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any parabens

What's Inside

They both contain silicones and sulfates

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Body Lotion Canadian Brand Canada
General Moisturizer American Brand United States

Body Lotion

Body lotions, creams, and butters help moisturize your body.

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

Price

Shop

Buy Itch Relief Moisturizing Cream

Starts at $22.99
Shop

Buy Eczema Therapy Itch Relief Balm

Starts at $15.59

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Benefits

Hydrating (6)
Redness Reducing (4)
Reduces Irritation (3)
Anti-Aging (3)
Brightening

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin (6)
Acne Trigger (3)

Notable Ingredients

Exfoliators
Ceramides

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Brightening

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (3)
Acne Trigger
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema (2)
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Water. 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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

CeraVe Itch Relief Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 2.

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Itch Relief Balm contains this as ingredient number 3.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin

CeraVe Itch Relief Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 3.

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Itch Relief Balm contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Masking
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Cetyl Alcohol is not related to SD alcohol, denatured alcohol, or ethyl alcohol. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

CeraVe Itch Relief Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 5.

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Itch Relief Balm contains this as ingredient number 7.

4
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.

Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.

Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.

Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.

Learn more about Cetearyl Alcohol

CeraVe Itch Relief Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 7.

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Itch Relief Balm contains this as ingredient number 4.

5
What it does: Cleansing, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Masking
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Stearic Acid is a fatty acid. It is an emollient, emulsifier, and texture enhancer.

As an emollient, stearic acid helps soften skin. It aids the skin's protective barrier by preventing water loss. It also provides a gentle cleansing effect without stripping away natural oils.

Stearic acid may also be used to enhance the texture of products. It can add volume and stabilize ingredients such as water and oil. This can help water and oil ingredients from separating.

Sources of stearic acid include animal or vegetable fats/oils such as coconut or shea. It can be naturally found in butter, cocoa butter, shea butter, vegetable fats, and animal tallow.

This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.

Learn more about Stearic Acid

CeraVe Itch Relief Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 11.

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Itch Relief Balm contains this as ingredient number 12.

6
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.

Dimethicone has been found increase absorption in skin, boosting the benefits of other ingredients. While there is concern for the safety of dimethicone, the levels used in skincare are safe for use.

CeraVe Itch Relief Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 12.

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Itch Relief Balm contains this as ingredient number 6.

7
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Liked

Potassium Phosphate is the term for the salts of potassium and phosphate ions. Our bodies naturally create and use potassium phosphate.

In cosmetics, potassium phosphate is used to adjust the pH level of products. Our skin has a natural pH level. Maintaining this pH level is important for our skin barrier. If the skin barrier is disrupted, our skin can experience dehydration and irritation.

This ingredient is used in medicine to help treat low blood levels of phosphorus.

Learn more about Potassium Phosphate

CeraVe Itch Relief Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 14.

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Itch Relief Balm contains this as ingredient number 14.

8
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Ceramide NP is a type of ceramide.

Ceramides are intercellular lipids naturally found in our skin that bonds dead skin cells together to create a barrier. They are known for their ability to hold water and thus are a great ingredient for dry skin.

Ceramides are an important building block for our skin barrier. A stronger barrier helps the skin look more firm and hydrated. By bolstering the skin ceramides act as a barrier against irritating ingredients. This can help with inflammation as well.

If you would like to eat ceramides, sweet potatoes contain a small amount.

Read more about other common types of ceramides here: Ceramide AP Ceramide EOP

Learn more about Ceramide NP

CeraVe Itch Relief Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 15.

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Itch Relief Balm contains this as ingredient number 19.

9
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Mixed

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Learn more about Sodium Hydroxide

CeraVe Itch Relief Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 20.

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Itch Relief Balm contains this as ingredient number 17.

10
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Liked

Dipotassium Phosphate is an inorganic salt. This just means it has a different structure than organic salts. It is a stabilizing and pH adjusting ingredient.

This ingredient is soluble in water.

CeraVe Itch Relief Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 26.

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Itch Relief Balm contains this as ingredient number 13.

11
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Disliked

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

CeraVe Itch Relief Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 29.

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Itch Relief Balm contains this as ingredient number 20.

12
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

CeraVe Itch Relief Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 32.

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Itch Relief Balm contains this as ingredient number 9.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

38% are loved or liked
6% have mixed ratings
53% are disliked or very disliked
3% have no rating yet
35% are loved or liked
15% have mixed ratings
40% are disliked or very disliked
10% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

CeraVe Itch Relief Moisturizing Cream 32 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 rating
Absorbs Well (1) Great Value (1) Hydrating (1) Works Well (1)
elltea11's avatar

elltea11

16 days ago · Dry Skin
Review

holy grail for my winter hand eczema. doesn't sting no matter how raw my skin is (tho i am not a doc and can't speak to its safety in deep/bleeding...

holy grail for my winter hand eczema. doesn't sting no matter how raw my skin is (tho i am not a doc and can't speak to its safety in deep/bleeding skin fissures). moisturizing but not greasy. i wish it came in a tube bc tubs kinda gross me out, but it's fine bc this isn't something i'd want to carry around with me. i only use it when i need itch relief and not as my main hand cream. there is a pump bottle but that is the *lotion* not the cream.

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Itch Relief Balm 20 ingredients

4.0 /5
from 1 rating

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