Neutrogena Moisture Oil Free Formula for Sensitive Skin is an after shower moisturizer designed to work without clogging pores or irritating sensitive skin. Other than water, it has 19 ingredients that work in different ways to produce a product to keep moisture in the skin and soften its appearance.
Thickeners
Thickeners bulk up the mixture and make it less runny. Thickening agents in this Neutrogena product include C12-15 alkyl benzoate, carbomer and cetyl alcohol. Cetyl alcohol and C12-15 alkyl benzoate also work as emollients.
Emollients
Personal care products use emollients to make skin smooth and softer. Emollients added to Neutrogena Moisture Oil Free Formula Sensitive Skin include PEG-100 stearate, isopropyl isostearate, glyceryl stearate, cyclomethicone and dimethicone. The "Journal of Wound Care" in its July 2000 issue, says that silicone additives such as dimethicone and cyclomethicone promote wound healing and bettering scar appearance.
Preservatives
Preservatives keep a product from spoiling and growing harmful mold, bacteria and fungi. Neutrogena Moisture Oil Free Formula for Sensitive Skin has four preservatives included and they include ethylparaben, diazolidinyl urea, methylparaben and propylparaben. "Contact Dermatitis" in the December 2000 edition states that diazolidinyl urea releases formaldehyde.
Skin Deep shows formaldehyde as "a carcinogenic impurity released by a number of cosmetic preservatives" and a potential allergen, skin irritant, lung irritant and eye irritant.
Hydration
Getting skin hydrated helps smooth out lines and keeps dryness at bay. Glycerin, a type of natural fat, is used in Neutrogena Moisture Oil Free Formula for Sensitive Skin to bring water from the environment into the skin. Another ingredient, Octyl palmitate, also aids in hydrating sensitive skin.
Miscellaneous
The rest of the ingredients all serve different purposes. PEG-10 soya sterol provides a mix of polyethylene glycol and a rapeseed plant fatty acid and is a surfactant--which allows the mix to spread easily over the skin. Petrolatum reduces inflammation and helps in healing, says an investigative report in the Acta Dermato-Venereologica medical journal. Sodium hydroxide, or lye, works as a cleanser and to modify pH levels. Tetrasodium EDTA keeps minerals from bonding together. Lastly, soy sterol allows for easier smoothing onto the skin.
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