What Aveeno’s marketing says about Eczema Therapy Rescue Relief Treatment Gel Cream
Aveeno says…
Relieves dry, itchy, eczema-prone skin
Soothes irritation from eczema
But does it really? Let us find out…
Disclaimer: What the company says about a product should be given very little importance when considering the product. Decisions should be based on what the ingredients in the product do.
Read the review below to find out if the product ‘ actually’ does what its marketing says it does…
Eczema Therapy Rescue Relief Treatment Gel Cream Review
The product’s ingredients
Description of what the ingredients in Eczema Therapy Rescue Relief Treatment Gel Cream do
Active Ingredient – Colloidal oatmeal 2%
Function: Anti-inflammatory, Hydrating, Skin barrier repair
Colloidal oatmeal is very fine oatmeal.
It is very rich in a chemical called avenanthramides. Avenanthramides reduce the irritation of the skin. Avenanthramides also reduce the itchy sensation that is common in people with eczema.
The skin’s top layer acts as a barrier. A strong barrier keeps skin hydrated and reduces breakouts on the skin. People with eczema tend to have a weak skin barrier – and scratching further weakens it. Hence, it is important to reduce that itchy sensation.
Colloidal oatmeal calms the skin and reduces redness on the skin.
It is also very rich in beta-glucans. Beta-glucans are water magnets. It draws water from the atmosphere to the skin’s surface and thus hydrates the skin. It also forms a hydrocolloid (a thin film) and prevents this hydration from evaporating into the atmosphere. Betal-glucans hydrate and help retain skin’s hydration.
Colloidal oatmeal is also rich in lipids that the skin needs. Lipids are compounds that help the skin in its barrier function. A good amount of lipids means a strong skin barrier.
In people with eczema, some of these lipids are not at an optimum level. Colloidal oatmeal’s lipids help to strengthen this barrier function.
Ingredient 1 – Water
Function: Solvent
A solvent helps in dissolving other ingredients in the product. Dissolved ingredients can spread and penetrate better.
Ingredient 2 – Glycerin
Function: Humectant
Glycerin is a powerful humectant.
Humectants are water magnets. They attract water, like sponges. When applied to the skin’s surface, they draw water vapour from the atmosphere into the skin.
Humectants hydrate and plump up the skin.
Ingredient 3 – Isopropyl palmitate
Function: Emollient
It softens and smoothens the skin. It can cause acne, blackheads and whiteheads in some (especially if you have oily skin).
Ingredient 4 – Shea butter
Function: Occlusive (keeps the skin hydrated)
Extracted from the kernels of the fruit of the shea tree. It forms a protective layer on the skin, seals the water in, and prevents water from the skin’s surface from evaporating into the atmosphere.
Ingredient 5 – Isododecane
Function: Emollient
Softens and smoothens the skin
Ingredient 6 – Vegetable oil
Function: Emollient
Emollients soften and smoothen the skin.
Ingredient 7 – Cetyl alcohol
Function: Emollient, Thickener, Emulsifier
Emollients soften and smoothen the skin. An emulsifier keeps the oil-based and water-based ingredients in the product together. Without it, the product’s ingredients will not mix. It binds all ingredients in the product together and thickens it.
Ingredient 8 – Sodium hydroxide
Function: pH adjuster
The pH level refers to how acidic or alkaline a product is. A pH adjuster adjusts the pH levels of the product and brings it to a pH compatible with the skin’s pH.
Ingredient 9 – Sodium polyacrylate
Function: Thickener
Used to bind ingredients together (Thickener). Also enhances the texture of the product.
A quick note on other ingredients
These ingredients are all further down the ingredient list. So the amount used in the product is less. The amount of an ingredient used reduces as we go down the ingredient list. And for most functional ingredients, when used at lower rates, the effect they have won’t be the same as if they were used at higher rates.
It is important to remember that in most skincare products, when it comes to how much its ingredients help the skin, only the first 5 ingredients matter the most. After about the 7th ingredient, how much the ingredient can help the skin reduces significantly.
It has caprylyl glycol. This ingredient softens and smoothes the skin.
It has a small amount of avena sativa (oat) kernel oil. This ingredient calms and reduces redness on the skin.
