What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Colloidal Oatmeal 1%
AbsorbentWater
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDimethicone
EmollientC10-18 Triglycerides
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Eos
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientCaprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCaprooyl Sphingosine
Skin ConditioningGlycolipids
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingBehenic Acid
CleansingCeteareth-25
CleansingGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientGlycine Soja Sterols
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingColloidal Oatmeal 1%, Water, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, C10-18 Triglycerides, Allantoin, Adenosine, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Ceramide AP, Ceramide Eos, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Cholesterol, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Glycolipids, Phospholipids, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Behenic Acid, Ceteareth-25, Glycine Soja Oil, Glycine Soja Sterols, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide
Colloidal Oatmeal 2%
AbsorbentWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientVegetable Oil
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAvena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
EmollientEuphorbia Cerifera Wax
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveTropolone
Skin ConditioningColloidal Oatmeal 2%, Water, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Isododecane, Vegetable Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Carbomer, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Tropolone
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCeramide AP is is a skin-identical lipid that mimics what your skin already makes naturally. Ceramides help maintain epidermal integrity and barrier function.
You'll often see this ingredient paired with other ceramides (like ceramide NP), cholesterol, or fatty acids because this combination best mimics the natural lipid mix your skin already has.
The skin's ability to produce ceramides gets disrupted in skin conditions like eczema. This in turn weakens the skin barrier and applying ceramides topically has been shown to replenish what's been lost to restore barrier function.
Most of the studies with Ceramide AP test it as part of a multi-ceramide complex; studies reinforce ceramide AP's role in rebalancing ceramides in skin and improving skin hydration.
Learn more about Ceramide APCetearyl Olivate is an emulsifier and texture enhancer. It is derived from the fatty acids of olive oil and Cetearyl alcohol, and is biodegradable.
As an emulsifier, it is used to prevent oils and waters from separating. It can also
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Sorbitan Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may feed that yeast, so it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl OlivateCetyl 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 AlcoholAccording to INCI standards, this ingredient refers to the physical ground up oatmeal. If you are looking for colloidal oatmeal in skincare, you'll most likely see Avena Sativa Kernel Extract on your ingredient list.
Physical colloidal oatmeal is an abrasive meaning it provides physical exfoliation.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinSodium 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 HydroxideSorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan OlivateWater. 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