Vaseline Intensive Care Aloe Soothe Body Lotion Versus Dove Nourishing Secrets Coconut Oil Restoring Body Lotion
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantStearic Acid
CleansingIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientPetrolatum
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientDihydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
HumectantHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Bran
AbrasiveParfum
MaskingGlycol Stearate
EmollientStearamide Amp
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Cetyl Alcohol
EmollientMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
AbsorbentCarbon
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingTapioca Starch
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Methylparaben
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativePropylparaben
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Isopropyl Myristate, Paraffinum Liquidum, Petrolatum, Dimethicone, Dihydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Avena Sativa Bran, Parfum, Glycol Stearate, Stearamide Amp, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Carbon, Potassium Hydroxide, Tapioca Starch, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDimethiconol
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycol Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Petrolatum
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCetyl Alcohol
EmollientParfum
MaskingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Stearamide Amp
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingSine Adipe Lac
Skin ConditioningIsomerized Linoleic Acid
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingCoumarin
PerfumingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Dimethiconol, Stearic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycol Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Petrolatum, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Parfum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Disodium EDTA, Stearamide Amp, Carbomer, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sine Adipe Lac, Isomerized Linoleic Acid, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Citric Acid, Coumarin, CI 77891
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl 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 AlcoholDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 StearateGlycol Stearate comes from stearic acid and ethylene glycol.
It is a creamy wax used to stabilize ingredients as an emulsifier. Glycol stearate also contains emollient properties. Emollients sit on top of the skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol StearateParfum 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.
Petrolatum is more commonly known as petroleum jelly. It is created by mixing waxes and mineral oils.
This ingredient is effective at reducing water loss by 99%. This is because it is an occlusive. Occlusives create a hydrophobic barrier on the skin to prevent evaporation. This property makes it great for hydrating dry skin.
Pro tip: Use occlusives, such as this ingredient, on damp skin for the best results.
The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand. Most cosmetic petrolatum has gone through several purification stages.
Another benefit of occlusives is it protects your skin against infection or allergies.
Petrolatum is fungal acne safe. It is a hydrocarbon with no fatty acid structure, so Malassezia cannot metabolize it. In-vitro studies support negligible growth stimulation as well.
It's also worth noting that petrolatum has a comedogenic rating of 0. In updated rabbit ear testing (and in human testing), petrolatum was found to be not comedogenic. This means it didn’t promote comedone formation in standard models.
Learn more about PetrolatumPhenoxyethanol 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.
We don't have a description for Stearamide Amp yet.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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