What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Colloidal Oatmeal 1%
AbsorbentWater
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingPolyglyceryl-6 Distearate
EmulsifyingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientEthylhexyl Olivate
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPropanediol
SolventGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientJojoba Esters
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
EmulsifyingCellulose
AbsorbentAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHectorite
AbsorbentCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingColloidal Oatmeal 1%, Water, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Glycerin, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Diheptyl Succinate, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Jojoba Esters, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Cellulose, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Squalane, Allantoin, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Cetyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Hectorite, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate
Cetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCeteareth-20
CleansingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingPEG-100 Stearate
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingNiacinamide
SmoothingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientSodium PCA
HumectantOphiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCholesterol
EmollientRosmarinus Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialDipotassium Phosphate
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantPropylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Isononyl Isononanoate, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, PEG-100 Stearate, Potassium Phosphate, Allantoin, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycine Soja Oil, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Sodium PCA, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cholesterol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tocopherol, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Persea Gratissima Oil, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinCarthamus tinctorius seed oil comes from safflower, one of humanity's oldest crops.
Safflower seed oil contains a high percentage of linoleic acid and oleic acid. It also contains Vitamin E. These three components are effective moisturizers.
Vitamin E helps nourish your skin's lipid barrier. It is also a potent antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, or unstable molecules that may damage your skin cells.
Due to its high fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be malassezia folliculitis safe.
Thoughout history, safflower has been used for dying fabrics and in food as a saffron substitute.
Learn more about Carthamus Tinctorius Seed OilCetearyl 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 AlcoholCetyl 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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolXanthan 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