Cetaphil Advanced Relief Lotion with Shea Butter Versus Cetaphil Intensive Healing Lotion

See how these products line up with your preferences

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Cetaphil Advanced Relief Lotion with Shea Butter versus Cetaphil Intensive Healing Lotion .

Published on November 03, 2021

Overview

What they are

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

Cool Features

They both contain niacinamide and Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores and dark spots

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances or parabens

What's Inside

They both contain oils and silicones

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

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Cetaphil Advanced Relief Lotion with Shea Butter

Cetaphil Intensive Healing Lotion

General Moisturizer American Brand United States

General Moisturizer

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

General Moisturizer

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

Price

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Buy Advanced Relief Lotion with Shea Butter

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Buy Intensive Healing Lotion

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.

Cetaphil Advanced Relief Lotion with Shea Butter 18 ingredients

Cetaphil Intensive Healing Lotion 28 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

Cetaphil Advanced Relief Lotion with Shea Butter 18 ingredients

Cetaphil Intensive Healing Lotion 28 ingredients

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E

Niacinamide

Benefits

Hydrating (3)

Good For Oily Skin

Redness Reducing

Reduces Irritation

Reduces Large Pores

Dark Spots

Acne Fighting

Brightening (3)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin (5)

Acne Trigger (2)

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E

Niacinamide

Ceramides

Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (5)

Good For Oily Skin

Redness Reducing (2)

Reduces Irritation (2)

Reduces Large Pores

Dark Spots

Scar Healing

Acne Fighting

Brightening (3)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin (4)

Acne Trigger

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Ingredients Compared

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

Cetaphil Advanced Relief Lotion with Shea Butter 18 ingredients

Cetaphil Intensive Healing Lotion 28 ingredients

Water • Glycerin • Isopropyl Palmitate • Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil • Cetearyl Alcohol • Ceteareth-20 • Dimethicone • Butyrospermum Parkii Butter • Panthenol • Niacinamide • Tocopheryl Acetate • Sodium PCA • Pantolactone • Glyceryl Stearate • Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer • Sodium Benzoate • Potassium Sorbate • Citric Acid

Water • Glycerin • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil • Pentylene Glycol • Butyrospermum Parkii Butter • Cetearyl Alcohol • Sorbitol • Behenyl Alcohol • Glyceryl Stearate • Cyclopentasiloxane • Tocopheryl Acetate • Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine • Niacinamide • Allantoin • Panthenol • Arginine • Disodium Ethylene Dicocamide Peg-15 Disulfate • Glyceryl Stearate Citrate • Sodium PCA • Ceteareth-20 • Sodium Polyacrylate • Caprylyl Glycol • Citric Acid • Dimethiconol • Disodium EDTA • Sodium Hyaluronate • Cetyl Alcohol

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.

Water

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

Cetaphil Advanced Relief Lotion with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 1.

Cetaphil Intensive Healing Lotion contains this as ingredient number 1.

Glycerin

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

Cetaphil Advanced Relief Lotion with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 2.

Cetaphil Intensive Healing Lotion contains this as ingredient number 2.

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

What it does: Emollient, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Disliked

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is the oil derived from the seeds of a Sunflower. Sunflower seed oil is non-fragrant. It is an emollient, meaning it helps to soften the skin.

Sunflower seed oil contains many fatty acids. The fatty acids found in sunflower seeds include (from highest amount to least): linoleic acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, oleic acid, and linolenic acid.

These fatty acids help the skin create ceramides. Ceramides play a role in repairing the skin barrier.

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil helps moisturize the skin. This in turn helps the skin look more rejuvenated and smoother.

Sunflowers are rich in vitamin E.

Historians believe Indigenous cultures of North America domesticated sunflowers before corn. Thus they relied on sunflower oil for a variety of uses. One such use is moisturizing skin and hair.

Sunflower seed oil may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.

Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Cetaphil Advanced Relief Lotion with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 4.

Cetaphil Intensive Healing Lotion contains this as ingredient number 4.

Cetearyl Alcohol

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

Cetaphil Advanced Relief Lotion with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 5.

Cetaphil Intensive Healing Lotion contains this as ingredient number 7.

Ceteareth-20

What it does: Cleansing, Emulsifying

Community Rating: Very Disliked

Ceteareth-20 is an emulsifier and cleansing agent. It is derived from cetearyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol.

As an emulsifier, Ceteareth-20 prevents oil and water from separating. It is also a surfactant. Surfactants help gather oil, pollution, and dirt to be washed away.

Cetaphil Advanced Relief Lotion with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 6.

Cetaphil Intensive Healing Lotion contains this as ingredient number 21.

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

What it does: Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Very Disliked

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter is a plant lipid from the fruit of the Shea Tree. It is an effective skin hydrator and emollient.

Emollients help soothe and soften your skin. It does this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.

Shea butter is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may harm the body. It is also full of fatty acids including stearic acid and linoleic acid. These acids help replenish the skin and keep skin moisturized.

While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.

Shea butter may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.

Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Cetaphil Advanced Relief Lotion with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 8.

Cetaphil Intensive Healing Lotion contains this as ingredient number 6.

Panthenol

What it does: Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Loved

Panthenol (also referred to as pro-vitamin B5) is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin.

lt is a humectant, meaning that it helps the skin attract and retain moisture.

Another benefit is the anti-inflammatory abilities. This means that it's great for sensitive, irritation-prone skin.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

Learn more about Panthenol

Cetaphil Advanced Relief Lotion with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 9.

Cetaphil Intensive Healing Lotion contains this as ingredient number 16.

Niacinamide

What it does: Smoothing

Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide

Cetaphil Advanced Relief Lotion with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 10.

Cetaphil Intensive Healing Lotion contains this as ingredient number 14.

Tocopheryl Acetate

What it does: Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Liked

Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.

One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.

Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.

Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate

Cetaphil Advanced Relief Lotion with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 11.

Cetaphil Intensive Healing Lotion contains this as ingredient number 12.

Sodium PCA

What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Loved

Sodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid and is naturally occurring on human skin.

The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.

Sodium PCA is a has conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.

Learn more about Sodium PCA

Cetaphil Advanced Relief Lotion with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 12.

Cetaphil Intensive Healing Lotion contains this as ingredient number 20.

Glyceryl Stearate

What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying

Community Rating: Disliked

Glyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.

Glyceryl Stearate is used to stabilize the mixing of water and oil ingredients. By preventing these ingredients from separating, it can help elongate shelf life. It can also help thicken the product's texture.

As an emollient, it helps soften skin and supports barrier-replenishing ingredients.

In cosmetics, Glyceryl Stearate is often made from vegetable oils or synthetically produced. The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate

Cetaphil Advanced Relief Lotion with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 14.

Cetaphil Intensive Healing Lotion contains this as ingredient number 10.

Citric Acid

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

Cetaphil Advanced Relief Lotion with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 18.

Cetaphil Intensive Healing Lotion contains this as ingredient number 24.

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