Mixa Niacinamide Bright Loción Corporal Versus Vaseline Intensive Care Essential Healing Body Lotion
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningUrea
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantGlycine
BufferingHydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lactate
BufferingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Niacinamide
SmoothingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Urea, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Paraffinum Liquidum, Propylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Alcohol Denat., Zea Mays Starch, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glycine, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lactate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantStearic Acid
CleansingPalmitic Acid
EmollientIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientPetrolatum
EmollientAvena Sativa Straw Extract
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientDihydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
HumectantHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantLactic Acid
BufferingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientGlycol Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientStearamide Amp
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTapioca Starch
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
AbsorbentAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingMethylparaben
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativePropylparaben
PreservativeAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingAmyl Cinnamal
PerfumingButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Isopropyl Myristate, Paraffinum Liquidum, Petrolatum, Avena Sativa Straw Extract, Dimethicone, Dihydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Propylene Glycol, Lactic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycol Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearamide Amp, Sodium Hydroxide, Tapioca Starch, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Amyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citronellol, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Geraniol, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dimethicone 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 DimethiconeGlycerin (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 StearateParaffinum Liquidum is a highly-refined cosmetic-grade mineral oil. It is also known as liquid paraffin.
Despite its controversial reputation, the science is pretty clear: it's one of the most well-studied and effective moisturizing ingredients out there.
As an occlusive, it forms a protective layer on the skin that locks in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This makes it especially great for compromised skin barriers.
The "it clogs your pores" myth has been around for decades; a study found that industrial-grade mineral oil may be comedogenic but cosmetic-grade mineral oil is not (these two are very, very different).
A 2017 review concluded that cosmetic use of mineral oils and waxes does not present a risk to consumers due to absorption.
Mineral oil got a bad rap from the old rabbit ear studies. When tested on actual human skin, cosmetic-grade mineral oil showed no comedogenic activity. The rating of 0 is a correction of outdated science.
Mineral oil is an inert substance with no fatty acids so there's nothing to feed Malassezia. This ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Paraffinum LiquidumParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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 WaterXanthan 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