What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Colloidal Oatmeal 5%
Absorbent
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Annona Cherimola Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningJojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Squalane
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Triheptanoin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Squalene
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Phytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Acetyl Glutamine
Skin ConditioningCastanea Sativa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Amylopectin
Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex
Antioxidant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Folic Acid
Skin ConditioningHexapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Oligopeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingC9-12 Alkane
SolventPolyurethane-100
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingPropanediol
Solvent
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Phenylpropanol
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLactic Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Colloidal Oatmeal 5%, Water, Glycerin, Annona Cherimola Fruit Extract, Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Sorbitan Olivate, Squalane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Octyldodecanol, Triheptanoin, Allantoin, Zinc Oxide, Squalene, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Phytosterols, Lecithin, Acetyl Glutamine, Castanea Sativa Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, Amylopectin, Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex, Phytosphingosine, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Folic Acid, Hexapeptide-11, Oligopeptide-1, Oligopeptide-2, Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Oligopeptide-3, Tocopherol, Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, C9-12 Alkane, Polyurethane-100, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Citrate, Propanediol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Phenylpropanol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Lactic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl 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 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.
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 GlycerinWater. 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
