Epaderm Ointment Versus Zeroid Soothing Cream
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingDimethicone
EmollientMyristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea
Skin ConditioningMethyl Caprooyl Tyrosinate
Skin ProtectingPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantBisabolol
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientTropolone
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbitan Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone, Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea, Methyl Caprooyl Tyrosinate, Phytosterols, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Arginine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tropolone
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl Alcohol