Works for
MoisturizingUrea, Petrolatum + 10 moreWorks well
“This Superdrug Intensive Moisturise Hand Cream, enriched with Shea Butter and Pro Vitamin B5 is specially formulated to deeply nourish and quench even the driest of hands.”
This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.
The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from
within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job:
betaine, glycerin.
This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: butyrospermum parkii butter, dimethicone.
The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: petrolatum, urea
Can it cause trouble?
Irritancy1 strong irritant: ParfumMedium risk
Comedogenic3 ingredients rated 2 or more on the 0–5 pore-clogging scale3 flagged
User reviews
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Ingredients
Filter by role to see what each ingredient is doing.
Water~40–60%
Glycerin~3.7–5.5%
- Irritation risk
- Low
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
More about GlycerinCetearyl alcohol~3.3–4.9%
- Irritation risk
- Low
- Comedogenicity
- 2/5
A non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture
More about Cetearyl alcoholUrea~2.7–4%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Naturally present in skin (urea makes up about 7% of natural moisturizing factors in skin). Attracts water to the upper layer of the skin. Also has a positive effect on the skin barrier beyond the humectant action. Can enhance penetration of other ingredients. Is an exfoliating ingredient when used in high concentrations
More about UreaPetrolatum~2.2–3.3%
- Irritation risk
- Low
One of the most effective and the most studied occlusive ingredients that creates a protective layer on top of the skin preventing moisture loss
More about PetrolatumButyrospermum parkii butter~1.8–2.7%
- Irritation risk
- Low
- Comedogenicity
- 3/5
A great moisturising ingredient that softens the skin and reduces water loss from its upper layer. It also can be helpful in protecting skin from free radicals
More about Butyrospermum parkii butterGlyceryl stearate se~1.3–2%
- Irritation risk
- Low
- Comedogenicity
- 2/5
Used to stabilize the product formulations and works as an emollient
More about Glyceryl stearate seDimethicone~1.2–1.8%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A silicone that helps to reduce water loss from the surface of the skin. Can temporarily "fill in" lines and wrinkles, absorb oil, and create a nice product finish
More about DimethiconeStearic acid~1–1.5%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps oil and water mix together and works as an emollient
More about Stearic acidCyclopentasiloxane~0.85–1.25%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A silicone that helps improve the product texture and spreadability. Can absorb oil creating a short-term mattifying effect on the skin
More about CyclopentasiloxanePhenoxyethanol~0.5–1%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A preservative. It helps prevent bacterial growth in cosmetic products
More about PhenoxyethanolPeg-40 hydrogenated castor oil~0.4–0.95%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps oil and water mix together
More about Peg-40 hydrogenated castor oilBetaine~0.35–0.8%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and improves the product texture
More about BetaineParfum~0.15–0.7%
- Irritation risk
- High
An aromatic blend of unspecified and possibly irritating ingredients
More about ParfumAllantoin~0.15–0.65%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps calm down inflammation in skin and can help reduce itching. Helps to repair the skin barrier and keep skin hydrated
More about AllantoinBenzoic acid~0.1–0.5%
Tocopheryl acetate~0.1–0.4%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
A more stable but less bio-available form of vitamin E compared to Tocopherol. Might help moisturize and protect the skin from free radicals, but mostly used in low concentrations to stabilize other ingredients.
More about Tocopheryl acetateDehydroacetic acid~0.05–0.25%
Panthenol~0.05–0.2%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can help improve skin barrier function
More about PanthenolEthylhexylglycerin~0.05–0.15%
Polyaminopropyl biguanide~0.05–0.2%
- Irritation risk
- High
A preservative. There seem to be an increasing number of cases of allergic reactions to it
More about Polyaminopropyl biguanideIngredient list view
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl alcohol, Urea, Petrolatum, Butyrospermum parkii butter, Glyceryl stearate se, Dimethicone, Stearic acid, Cyclopentasiloxane, Phenoxyethanol, Peg-40 hydrogenated castor oil, Betaine, Parfum, Allantoin, Benzoic acid, Tocopheryl acetate, Dehydroacetic acid, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyaminopropyl biguanide
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Worth comparing, line by line.
Match % combines shared ingredients, the first five ingredients, shared actives and hero ingredients, irritancy (lower counts in the alternative's favour), texture and body area. Only products in the same routine step are compared.
| SuperdrugHand Cream Intensive MoistureYOUR PRODUCT | Elizabeth GrantIntensive Hand & Foot Cream | NeutrogenaNorwegian Formula Hand and Nail Cream | AveenoBaby Dermexa Emollient Cream | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match | — | 56% | 54% | 54% |
| Price | — | $29.00 | $3.13 | $12.70 |
| Shared key ingredients | — | 6 of 9 | 5 of 9 | 4 of 9 |
| Key difference | — | Lanolin | Mineral Oil | Ceramide 3 |
| Irritancy | Medium | Medium | Medium | Low |
| Drying alcohol | — | — | — | — |
| View product | Shop | Shop | Shop |
More alternatives: Kao Atrix Beauty Charge Night Superior Hand CreamMesoestetic Radiance DNA Hand Cream
Product summary
Judging from the ingredient list, "Superdrug - Hand Cream Intensive Moisture" works well for improving skin hydration To work well, any moisturizer needs to include a combination of water-binding and emollient ingredients. Superdrug - Hand Cream Intensive Moisture ticks this box. Urea, betaine and glycerin in this product (humectants) attract water molecules to the upper layer of the skin (the water comes from the outside air or from the deeper layers of the skin if the air is dry). Emollients in this formulation (petrolatum, butyrospermum parkii butter, dimethicone, cetearyl alcohol and cyclopentasiloxane) help to reduce the moisture loss from the skin. They also soften the skin surface and relieve the feeling of dryness and tightness.
Irritation risk
This moisturizer contains some common irritants, including those without a benefit for the skin. We assess the overall irritancy of this moisturizer to be medium. For a detailed overview of all potential irritants: click here
You can see the detailed formula review with the breakdown of all actives in the product and the full ingredient list with estimated concentrations in the tables below.
About the brand
According to Cruelty-Free Kitty "Superdrug" is cruelty free and so is its parent company.
Price
The product retails for 1.49£ in the United Kingdom.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Sources cited in this review
Every concentration estimate and effectiveness label is anchored to one of these 10 studies and safety reviews.
- 1
- 2Topical urea in skincare: A reviewpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 3
- 4Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Dimethicone Copolyoljournals.sagepub.com
- 5
- 6
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