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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Mario Badescu Kera Moisturizer versus Institut Esthederm Intensive Propolis Cream .

Published on March 13, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both general moisturizers. They have a total of 9 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain exfoliants

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain parabens

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

General Moisturizer American Brand United States
General Moisturizer French Brand France

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

Price

Shop

Buy Kera Moisturizer

Starts at $20.00
Shop

Buy Intensive Propolis Cream

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E
Exfoliators

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Anti-Aging
Scar Healing
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (3)
Acne Trigger
Irritating (2)
Eczema (3)

Notable Ingredients

Exfoliators

Benefits

Hydrating
Acne Fighting
Brightening

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin
Rosacea
Eczema (3)
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Water. 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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Mario Badescu Kera Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 1.

Institut Esthederm Intensive Propolis Cream contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin

Mario Badescu Kera Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 2.

Institut Esthederm Intensive Propolis Cream contains this as ingredient number 5.

3
What it does: Emollient, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Paraffinum Liquidum is also known as liquid paraffin. It is a type of highly refined mineral oil.

Like other oils, Paraffinum Liquidum has emollient properties. Emollients help soothe and soften the skin. By creating a barrier to trap moisture within, emollients help keep your skin hydrated.

Paraffinum Liquidum does not irritate the skin and is non-comedogenic. However, this ingredient may not work well for those with oily skin or fungal acne.

If you have concerns about using this ingredient in your routine, we recommend speaking with a professional.

Learn more about Paraffinum Liquidum

Mario Badescu Kera Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 3.

Institut Esthederm Intensive Propolis Cream contains this as ingredient number 12.

4
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying
Community Rating: Disliked

Glyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.

Glyceryl Stearate is used to stabilize the mixing of water and oil ingredients. By preventing these ingredients from separating, it can help elongate shelf life. It can also help thicken the product's texture.

As an emollient, it helps soften skin and supports barrier-replenishing ingredients.

In cosmetics, Glyceryl Stearate is often made from vegetable oils or synthetically produced. The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate

Mario Badescu Kera Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 9.

Institut Esthederm Intensive Propolis Cream contains this as ingredient number 9.

5
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Masking
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Cetyl Alcohol is not related to SD alcohol, denatured alcohol, or ethyl alcohol. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

Mario Badescu Kera Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 15.

Institut Esthederm Intensive Propolis Cream contains this as ingredient number 7.

6
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Propylene Glycol is an odorless, colorless liquid. As a humectant, it helps skin retain moisture. It also aids in delivering active ingredients.

Another role of this ingredient is preventing a product from melting or freezing. Propylene glycol also adds antimicrobrial properties to a product, elongating product lifespan.

This ingredient is considered an organic alcohol and commonly added into both cosmetics and foods.

Those with sensitive skin or conditions may deliver a rash when using this ingredient.

Learn more about Propylene Glycol

Mario Badescu Kera Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 19.

Institut Esthederm Intensive Propolis Cream contains this as ingredient number 6.

7
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Methylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.

Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.

Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.

The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.

Learn more about Methylparaben

Mario Badescu Kera Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 22.

Institut Esthederm Intensive Propolis Cream contains this as ingredient number 24.

8
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Propylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben with antifungal and antimicrobial properties.

This ingredient can be naturally found in plants and insects, but most of it is synthetically manufactured for human use. In cosmetics, it is usually created by reacting para-aminobenzoic acid and propanol (an alcohol).

You can usually find this ingredient in water-based products.

Parabens have come under controversy due to the claim they are hormone disruptors. Studies show conflicting results. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.

Propylparaben is commonly found in food, medicine, and cosmetics.

Learn more about Propylparaben

Mario Badescu Kera Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 23.

Institut Esthederm Intensive Propolis Cream contains this as ingredient number 26.

9
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

Mario Badescu Kera Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 26.

Institut Esthederm Intensive Propolis Cream contains this as ingredient number 14.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

19% are loved or liked
4% have mixed ratings
59% are disliked or very disliked
19% have no rating yet
19% are loved or liked
0% have mixed ratings
67% are disliked or very disliked
15% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

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Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Mario Badescu Kera Moisturizer.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Institut Esthederm Intensive Propolis Cream.

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