Hydrator or moisturizer: what does your skin need?
How diferent is hydrator from moisturizer? How to choose the best moisturizer or skin hydrator among the pool of oils and creams available everywhere? Let's find out all the answers here.
Recently, Emolene has become quite viral among netizens. In particular, influencers are going gaga over this ointment. Is it worth trying out? Find out here, all that you wanted to know about the viral Emolene cream.
By SOMA
Posted on | Last Updated
Emolene Cream is on trend these days. Just like Glutathione, Emolene cream uses have increased a lot. From packaging to texture, it looks like a medicated cream.
In fact, the cream has been formulated by Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Yet, it is sold throughout as a drugstore product which is a bit shocking.
So, is the Emolene Cream safe? Are the ingredients okay? Does it have any side effects? Is Emolene Cream a steroid? Let us find out all the answers here.
Price: INR 346 for 100gm
Shelf Life: 2 years from the date of manufacturing
Shop Now|| INR 346As per the brand, Emolene cream provides effective hydration, promoting skin softness, suppleness, and nourishment. Infused with urea and propylene glycol, it functions as a humectant, maintaining skin moisture and proving particularly beneficial for addressing dry and extremely dry skin conditions.
Emolene cream uses is popular for preventing dryness, flakiness, rashes, and itching. Its ultra-moisturizing properties facilitate the healing of minor skin irritations, rashes, and rough patches.
As a result, Emolene cream is commonly employed in the treatment of very dry skin, diaper rash, and rashes caused by synthetic clothing, and in aiding the recovery of skin burns resulting from radiotherapy.
Before I talk about my experience with the ointment, it is important to know what goes inside the cream. It is primarily composed of Propylene Glycol and Diazolidinyl Urea. These two ingredients are combined in a cream base.
The analysis has been divided into three sections where we will analyze the function of Propylene Glycol and Diazolidinyl Urea in Emolene cream, first. In the last section, I will discuss all the components of the cream base of this ointment.
Propylene Glycol is a common ingredient found in many skincare products, including moisturizers, creams, and lotions. It is useful for its hydration ability. The presence of Propylene Glycol in a cream makes the texture more spreadable.
Its role in skincare formulations can be both beneficial and controversial, and its impact on dry skin depends on several factors.
As per the brand, Emolene cream has been formulated as a hydro nourisher for dry-skinned people.
It is generally recognized as safe in cosmetic formulations when used within regulated concentrations. As per the label. each 1gm contains 15mg of Propylene Glycol which is only 1.5% of the entire ingredient list.
The only concern is that while propylene glycol is a humectant, it may not provide sufficient moisturization on its own for extremely dry skin. So, additional emollients and occlusive agents may be needed to lock in moisture.
Diazolidinyl Urea is a widely used antimicrobial preservative in cosmetics and personal care products. It serves the primary purpose of preventing bacteria growth, yeast, and mould in various formulations, thus extending the shelf life of the product.
In Emolene cream, Diazolidinyl Urea is 0.15% of the entire ingredient list.
All the ingredients of the cream base have been listed on the packaging. How safe these ingredients are from their contemporaries. Let’s find out without further ado.
Lecithin is a naturally occurring fatty substance found in various plant and animal tissues. In cosmetics, lecithin is often used for its emollient, moisturizing, and skin-conditioning properties.
It is primarily used as a thickener and viscosity controller in cosmetics.
Apart from adjusting the pH level, this ingredient also acts as a thickening and texture-improving agent.
A natural humectant that retains moisture.
Widely used as a pH adjuster that can also stabilise emulsions.
Capric Acid Triglyceride, also known as Capric triglyceride or caprylic/Capric triglyceride, is an effective emollient that can soften and smoothen the skin texture.
This Silicone-based carbomer is used as an emollient and primer in cosmetics.
I love Squalane. This naturally-found non-comedogenic ingredient is an excellent skin-nourishing and anti-ageing element.
It is an emulsifier and solubilizer that helps to blend oil and water-based ingredients in cosmetic formulations.
A common fatty acid that is multi-functional. It is primarily used as a thickener, stabilizer, and emulsifier in cosmetics.
It is commonly used in the cosmetics and personal care industry for its emollient, emulsifying, and thickening properties
Glyceryl Stearate is a common ingredient in cosmetics and personal care products. It helps to enhance the performance and feel of formulations
This is a fatty alcohol which is widely used in cosmetics and personal care products. It is derived from natural sources such as coconut or palm oil. Primarily used as an emollient, skin conditioning agent, thickening agent, and stabilizer.
This ingredient is widely popular in personal care products for its emollient properties and its ability to enhance the texture and feel of various formulations.
C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters is a cosmetic ingredient that is used in a variety of cosmetic and skincare formulations for its emollient and conditioning properties.
Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) is an antioxidant commonly used in cosmetics, including creams, for its ability to prevent or slow down the oxidation of cosmetic formulations.
BHA has a safety limit as it is often linked with allergies and several other health issues. Thus, these days, many brands are emerging with BHA-free labels on their products.
Toluene is a solvent that is not typically used in cosmetic products, especially creams that are applied to the skin.
It is known for its strong odour and potential health hazards, and it is not considered safe for use in personal care and cosmetic formulations due to its potential adverse effects.
Water acts as a solvent in this cream.
Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid (EDTA) and its salts, such as Disodium EDTA, are commonly used in cosmetics as a chelating agent. Which means it can bind to metal ions, such as calcium and magnesium.
Overall, Emolene cream has a variety of ingredients and most of the components are used as emollients. In the Indian market, you will find various Propylene Glycol based creams e.g. Minimalist 0.3% Ceramides Face Moisturizer, Deconstruct Skin Soothe Ceramide Moisturiser, Foxtale Comfort Zone Rich Moisture Cream, etc.
But, we have to remember that Emolene cream is not a cosmetic product that anyone can use.
It is a medicated cream and the label clearly says, “To be sold by retail on the prescription of a Registered Medical Practitioner only.”
Hence, only an expert will understand when and why to suggest this ointment.
The cream comes in an usual tube packaging that is easy to carry around.
It has a light-weight texture that spreads pretty quickly.
Emolene cream is free from fragrance that is an added advantage for people with sensitive nose.
I have super dry skin that is sensitive as well. So, I am usually very cautious about putting any new product on my skin. I analyze the ingredients first. If I find those okay, then only I go on applying.
Before purchasing this ointment, I doubted that it might be a medicated cream. But, I was not sure.
I stay away from medicated ointments especially considering the damage a topical steroid has done to my skin during my adolescent days.
When I got this ointment in my hand, I made up my mind that I would not use it on my facial skin. Honestly, no matter how viral a medicated cream is, I have vouched to not ever experiment with my facial skin. Damaged skin barrier takes a lot of time to completely heal.
In the past 1 week, I have religiously applied Emolene cream on my hands and legs twice a day. Here are my observations.
It is one of the frequently asked questions about Emolene. The answer is NO. Emolene is not a steroid cream. However, the presence of BHA often raises a concern among netizens.
I have already analyzed the ingredients in detail and nowhere, I found Topical corticosteroids or topical steroids.
As of now, I have not found any side effects from using Emolene cream. Neither do people complain about any. In fact, according to a Reddit user, Emolene cream has been prescribed to her kids.
Apparently, at the time of writing this piece, it will be safe to say that Emolene cream has no side effects.
If you are looking for a budget-friendly body cream for your skin, then Emolene cream is an excellent choice. It serves the purpose pretty well.
I have not used it on my face nor will I suggest doing so without a prescription.
Just remember that it is not a cosmetic, it is a medicated cream. Hence, I will always suggest using such creams only after getting a recommendation from a medical practitioner.