Mamaearth Oil-Free Face Moisturizer With Apple Cider Vinegar Versus Neutrogena Daily Facial Moisturizer
This oil-control moisturizer is formulated around Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer to balance excess oil.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Panthenol to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Nonanoate
EmollientNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Glyceryl Dibehenate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Vinegar
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Betaine
Humectant
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Diethylhexyl Carbonate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Water, Cetearyl Nonanoate, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Propanediol, Vinegar, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Betaine, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Diethylhexyl Carbonate, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dimethicone
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Citrate
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Sodium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Citrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citric Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl 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 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
