What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Colloidal Oatmeal 2%
AbsorbentWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventPetrolatum
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingJojoba Esters
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin ConditioningMethylparaben
PreservativePolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningC10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters
EmulsifyingBisabolol
AntioxidantEDTA
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingTribehenin
EmollientMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningPEG-10 Phytosterol
EmulsifyingZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin ConditioningColloidal Oatmeal 2%, Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Petrolatum, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Jojoba Esters, Cetyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Isohexadecane, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Methylparaben, Polysorbate 60, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Bisabolol, EDTA, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Potassium Hydroxide, Tribehenin, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Ceramide Ns, PEG-10 Phytosterol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingJojoba Esters
EmollientGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingPetrolatum
EmollientSteareth-21
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientDistearyldimonium Chloride
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientLavandula Angustifolia Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantMelatonin
AntioxidantDimethicone
EmollientTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingAcacia Farnesiana Flower Extract
PerfumingHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide Eos
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantBisabolol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningCaprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCaprooyl Sphingosine
Skin ConditioningStearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Cholesterol
EmollientCeteareth-25
CleansingBehenic Acid
CleansingButylene Glycol
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Jojoba Esters, Gluconolactone, Niacinamide, Petrolatum, Steareth-21, Cetyl Alcohol, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Lavandula Angustifolia Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Melatonin, Dimethicone, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Acacia Farnesiana Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide Eos, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Hydroxyacetophenone, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Stearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Cholesterol, Ceteareth-25, Behenic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Isopropyl Myristate, Potassium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceBisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololButyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract is from the fruit of the Shea Tree. It is an effective skin hydrator and emollient.
Shea butter is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may harm the body. It is also full of fatty acids including stearic acid and linoleic acid. These acids help replenish the skin and keep skin moisturized.
Ceramide NS is formally known as Ceramide 2. It is one of the major ceramides in the stratum corneum (outermost layer of skin) plays a role in forming a protective barrier.
Due to its structure, skin lipids can be packed tightly and in turn, this strengthens the barrier and reduces water loss.
Studies show conditions like atopic dermatitis can worsen when ceramide NS levels are low.
Learn more about Ceramide NsCetyl 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 AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin 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 StearateThis ingredient is created by cleaving jojoba oil to remove all fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and wax esters.
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters has emollient, stabilizing, and hair-conditioning properties.
Jojoba Esters is a wax created from Jojoba oil. It is an emollient and film-forming ingredient. In bead form, it is an exfoliator.
This ingredient has high oxidative stability, meaning it doesn't break down when exposed to oxygen.
Its similarity to our skin's natural oils makes it a great emollient. Emollients help soften and soothe our skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier helps trap moisture in, keeping skin hydrated.
It is created using either the hydrogenation or transesterification processes on jojoba oil.
Learn more about Jojoba EstersPetrolatum is more commonly known as petroleum jelly. It is created by mixing waxes and mineral oils.
This ingredient is effective at reducing water loss by 99%. This is because it is an occlusive. Occlusives create a hydrophobic barrier on the skin to prevent evaporation. This property makes it great for hydrating dry skin.
Pro tip: Use occlusives, such as this ingredient, on damp skin for the best results.
The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand. Most cosmetic petrolatum has gone through several purification stages.
Another benefit of occlusives is it protects your skin against infection or allergies.
Petrolatum may not be safe for fungal-acne. Studies show mineral oil / petroleum leads to the growth of M. Furfur, a type of yeast.
However, it’s worth noting that petrolatum has a comedogenic rating of 0. In updated rabbit ear testing (and in human testing), petrolatum was found to be not comedogenic. This means it didn’t promote comedone formation in standard models.
Fungal acne isn’t about comedogenic ratings. It’s more about whether certain ingredients can feed the yeast on your skin, which can trigger those breakouts.
Learn more about PetrolatumPotassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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 WaterZingiber Officinale is more commonly known as ginger.
Ginger root has antioxidant, anti-inflammation, and antimicrobial properties.
The antioxidant properties help protect your body from free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. As a result, ginger may help slow down signs of aging such as hyperpigmentation and wrinkles.
Studies show ginger inhibits the enzyme that breaks down collagen. It also helps with:
This ingredient has no negative side-effects and is safe to use unless one has a specific allergy to it.
Ginger originates from Southeast Asia but has spread throughout the world. It is now a common spice used in many cultures.
Learn more about Zingiber Officinale Root Extract