Overview
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain fragrances and parabens
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Curel Hydrating Water Essence 12 ingredients
Curel Moisture Facial Milk 19 ingredients
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Curel Hydrating Water Essence 12 ingredients
Curel Moisture Facial Milk 19 ingredients
Benefits
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This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Concerns
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Benefits
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Ingredients Side-by-side
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.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Betaine is a common humectant (a substance that promotes retention of moisture). It's known to be gentle on the skin and can help balance hydration.
Methyl Gluceth-20 is a humectant. Humectants help draw moisture from the air to your skin.
Not safe for Fungal Acne
Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil comes from hydrogenated castor oil. It is a solubilizer and emulsifier.
Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.
Succinic acid is an odorless white powder. It is naturally found in our bodies but can also be derived from living organisms.
Arginine is an amino acid that is important for human development. Your body uses is it to produce hair keratin and skin collagen.
Paraben 2 Concerns
Methylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.
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.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
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.
Squalane is an emollient that helps the skin hold onto moisture. It's an oily liquid that occurs naturally in certain types of fish and plant oils.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Sorbitan Stearate comes from sorbitol and stearic acid. Sorbitol is a type of sugar and stearic acid is a fatty acid.
Cholesterol is a class of organic molecules called lipids. It helps hydrate your skin and is essential to having a healthy skin barrier.
Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Stearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients.
Succinic acid is an odorless white powder. It is naturally found in our bodies but can also be derived from living organisms.
Paraben 2 Concerns
Methylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.
Water, Glycerin, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Dimethicone, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprate, Squalane, Polysorbate 60, Butylene Glycol, Sorbitan Stearate, Cholesterol, Cholesteryl Isostearate, Allantoin, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Stearyl Alcohol, Succinic Acid, Bis-Methoxypropylamido Isodocosane, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Methylparaben
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterGlycerin 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 GlycerinButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
- It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
- It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
- It helps improve product application.
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.
Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.
Some studies have shown this ingredient can promote wound healing with higher concentrations.
Allantoin is derived from the comfrey plant but produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Learn more about AllantoinSuccinic acid is an odorless white powder. It is naturally found in our bodies but can also be derived from living organisms.
Succinic acid is water-soluble. The pH level of this ingredient is between 4.2 and 5.6.
While succinic acid posesses antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, these properties have not been studied in skincare products.
Fun fact: Succinic acid was known as the 'spirit of amber' in the past. This is because it used to be derived from distilling amber.
Learn more about Succinic AcidEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract is a fragrance.
Methylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.
Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.
Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.
The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.
Learn more about MethylparabenIngredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
When to use
Curel Hydrating Water Essence 12 ingredients
Curel Moisture Facial Milk 19 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Curel Hydrating Water Essence 12 ingredients
PatriciaDavid
I use this every morning before Curel intensive moisturiser, and I feel it gives my skin just that little extra hydration. In terms of texture,...
I use this every morning before Curel intensive moisturiser, and I feel it gives my skin just that little extra hydration. In terms of texture, it's very much like water; I pump it three times in my hand and tap it all over my face. I have repurchased several times as it works for my sensitive, dry skin.
