What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Colloidal Oatmeal 1%
AbsorbentWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingOctyldodecanol
EmollientCetyl Palmitate
EmollientPEG-40 Stearate
EmulsifyingGlycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePiroctone Olamine
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCitric Acid
BufferingColloidal Oatmeal 1%, Water, Glycerin, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecanol, Cetyl Palmitate, PEG-40 Stearate, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Ceramide NP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Piroctone Olamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid
Colloidal Oatmeal 2%
AbsorbentWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientPetrolatum
EmollientPropanediol
SolventHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingJojoba Esters
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin ConditioningIsohexadecane
EmollientAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveBisabolol
AntioxidantZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingC10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters
EmulsifyingCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTribehenin
EmollientPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingEDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativePEG-10 Phytosterol
EmulsifyingMethylparaben
PreservativePolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin ConditioningColloidal Oatmeal 2%, Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Petrolatum, Propanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Jojoba Esters, Cetyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Isohexadecane, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Bisabolol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Ceramide Ng, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Tribehenin, Potassium Hydroxide, EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-10 Phytosterol, Methylparaben, Polysorbate 60, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholAccording to INCI standards, this ingredient refers to the physical ground up oatmeal. If you are looking for colloidal oatmeal in skincare, you'll most likely see Avena Sativa Kernel Extract on your ingredient list.
Physical colloidal oatmeal is an abrasive meaning it provides physical exfoliation.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePhenoxyethanol 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.
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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water