What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Colloidal Oatmeal 0.5%
AbsorbentWater
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientSqualane
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium EDTA
Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
PerfumingColloidal Oatmeal 0.5%, Water, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Didecene
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientBisabolol
AntioxidantPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningAngelica Archangelica Root Water
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialCamellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientRubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCanola Oil
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Ricinoleate
EmollientSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
CleansingCitrus Grandis Peel Oil
MaskingTriceteareth-4 Phosphate
EmulsifyingSilica
AbrasiveZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentGlyceryl Undecylenate
EmollientLaureth-3
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPerfluorodecalin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentEthylhexyl Stearate
EmollientSodium Benzoate
MaskingBuddleja Davidii Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycosphingolipids
EmollientSucrose Palmitate
EmollientThymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract
MaskingTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicWater, Hydrogenated Didecene, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Bisabolol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Angelica Archangelica Root Water, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Canola Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Ricinoleate, Sorbitan Stearate, Stearic Acid, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Triceteareth-4 Phosphate, Silica, Zea Mays Starch, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Laureth-3, Sodium Hydroxide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Perfluorodecalin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Sodium Benzoate, Buddleja Davidii Extract, Glycosphingolipids, Sucrose Palmitate, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract, Trideceth-6, Xanthan Gum, Biotin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 StearateSodium 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 HydroxideStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum