Showering is one of the important aspects of an Eczema sufferer’s day. A shower helps clear the pores and allows the skin to function by cleaning the skin and removing dead skin cells. The cleansing action cleans the skin and removes bacteria and irritants that could cause rashes and other irritations.
One of the biggest brands for Eczema, Aveeno, has an array of products designed specifically for sensitive skin users. Aveeno is available worldwide and is commonly found in supermarket shelves making it highly accessible for anyone to try. It is a dermatologist brand that has been recommended for over 65 years.
A product that I use regularly and has massive acclaim in the Eczema communities is a sensitive skin body wash product from Dove. Introduced more than 60 years ago, Dove is a personal care brand owned by Unilever. Their products can be found in more than 150 countries.
Of the two, which is better?
Aveeno Body Wash: The Different Products
For nearly over 70 years, Aveeno has been a respected name in the skincare industry with high recommendations from dermatologists all over the world. Their products soothes skin and brings relief for all Eczema symptoms using as many natural sustainable ingredients that are possible.
Aveeno has many different types of body wash so it is best to pay close attention to the packaging. The differences in products can be determined by the colour of their enclosed cap.
The daily moisturizing range is the most commonly found Aveeno product line. Each line has different benefits as stated in the picture and are made out of different key ingredients.
| Daily Moisturizing | Skin Relief | Stress Relief | Restorative Skin Therapy | Eczema |
| Soothing oat and rich emollients, contains Dimethicone | Triple oat complex, contains Dimethicone | Soothing oat, lavender scent – chamomile and ylang ylang oils | Oat, aloe, and vitamin B5 | Colloidal oatmeal and ceramide |
The stress relief product line has lavender scented fragrance which can cause irritation, so best to avoid it.
Colloidal Oatmeal
The Eczema product line has a special ingredient in colloidal oatmeal. Colloidal oatmeal is made from finely-ground oats and is available in cream or powder form. Since it contains fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that benefit the skin, it is an emollient – a substance that softens or soothes the skin.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera has been used to treat various health conditions for thousands of years and can be found in the restorative sin therapy product line. It is a medicinal plant that is safe to use. It can be used to increase collagen contend and its composition of the wounds according to studies.
Dimethicone
Dimethicone can found in both the daily moisturizing and skin relief product lines. It is considered as acceptable in the potential risk index by 1source.
Dimethicone (also called polymethylsiloxane) is a silicon-based polymer used as a lubricant and conditioning agent. The materials it is used for vary from contact lenses and medical devices to elastomers; dimethicone also appears in shampoos (it makes your hair soft and shiny), food (antifoaming agent), caulking and lubricants.
As well as cosmetics and consumer products, Dimethicone is used in various ways. Dimethicone, for example, is used widely in moisturizing lotions as an active ingredient meaning “skin protection.” Some cosmetic formulations use dimethicone and related siloxane polymers in concentrations of up to 15%.
Dove Body Wash: The Different Products
Dove has a number of body washes on the market that can be broken down into categories, type and fragrance. For sensitive skin users, any fragranced body wash should be avoided. Two standout Dove body washes for Eczema users are the sensitive skin and deep moisturising lines.
Dove colour codes their product ranges, so be sure to avoid all colours apart from blue. They will have fragrances that will irritate your skin. You might smell nice, but your skin certainly won’t like it!
Interestingly, Dove is the number 1 recommended body wash by dermatologists. The deep moisture line has had rave reviews from many, with soft skin and lasting nourishment as an outcome. The formula uses a combination of skin-natural nourishers and plant-based moisturizers, proven to maintain and nourish skin.
The Best Aveeno Body Wash for Eczema
The only Aveeno product line to avoid is the stress relief line because it is not fragrance free and it is targeted more for dry skin. The other lines are all fragrance free and targeted for those with sensitive skin. The Eczema line should be trailed first before the others because it was designed specifically for irritated skin.
It should be noted that all the Aveeno products contains oats. If you have a bad reaction to oats, then you should do a patch test before applying vast amounts. An allergy test can also be taken.
Despite this, oatmeal formulas are well recommended by Dermatologists because of the ability to help restore skin’s PH levels and supporting the development of the skin’s barrier.
I have personally tried out the daily moisturizing, skin relief and eczema range. The differences is the texture and the aftermath feeling on your skin. In terms of effectiveness, I did not see any difference to my mid severe Eczema. I did however get some relief from the pain caused by my skin.
The Best Dove Body Wash for Eczema
The product that I am currently using now and have seen great improvements in my skin is Dove’s Sensitive Skin Body Wash. Remember to check the packaging to ensure you have the right kind, it has a light blue coloured enclosed cap (other types of body wash will have different colours).
Sensitive skin requires a body wash that is both gentle and nourishing. The moisturizing body wash is formulated with Moisture Renew Blend, which penetrates deeply into the skin and works with it to restore its moisture. A sulfate-free formula that is gentle on your skin’s microbiome. A natural, gentle cleanser makes it ideal for skin types that need extra kindness, such as dry skin, sensitive skin, and very sensitive skin.
This is my personal go-to body wash after trying out countless protects. For myself, it is an exceptional body wash for try skin and I haven’t seen my skin get irritated because of it. There are no strong smells from the product and moistures well.
Aveeno vs Dove: Ingredient Comparison
Both products have different formulas and key ingredients. Aveeno most notably contains oats as their main ingredient and make no secret of it. Though both do have an alarming ingredient in Phenoxyethanol.
Phenoxyethanol
A harmful ingredient that stands out and can be problematic is Phenoxyethanol. It has been reported as harmful if absorbed through skin, causing irritation and blistering. This makes Phenoxyethanol a potential health concern for Eczema sufferers like ourselves.
Phenoxyethanol is a concerning ingredient as it is now banned in Palau due to the damages it can cause to coral reefs. If it can cause long lasting damages to the aquatic wildlife, the question is, what kind of damage can do to our skin?
Glycerin
Glyercin is another ingredient that both Aveeno and Dove use in their body washes. Although it is generally a safe ingredient, it does a pose the concern of skin irritation. Glycerin is used in skincare products as a means of improving smoothness, providing lubrication, and as a humectant. Glycerin is in Canada’s ingredient hot list on the restricted for use in cosmetic products list (2019).
Citric Acid
An ingredient that is not regarded as harmful, but should be noted is Citric Acid that can be found in both Aveeno and Dove body washes. It has many functions, notably as an exfoliant that removes dead cells at the surface of the skin and as a skin whitening agent by reducing the melanin content of the skin.
Despite the multiple benefits of using Citric Acid, it has many safety hazards and potential health concerns for Eczema users. It can cause skin irritation and allergic skin reactions.
Aveeno vs Dove: Aveeno Alarming Ingredients
Despite having similar ingredients, Aveeno has an alarming ingredient that has many hazardous properties that needs to be highlighted in Sodium Laureth Sulfate.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
The surfactant sodium lauryl sulfate (also known as SDS) is highly effective at removing oily stains and residues. As a detergent, it is ideal because of its amphiphilic properties. The SDS is an integral part of many products used in cleaning, hygiene, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food processing, as well as cleaning and product formulation for industry and commerce.
There is sufficient evidence that the ingredient may have the potential to be an irritant, along with the potential to no longer be a necessary ingredient. It has high potential concerns for in contact with Eczema and Dermatitis and as an irritant.
There are 16 safety hazards listed out by 1Source, with the most notable being:
- Fatal in contact with skin (H310)
- Toxic in contact with skin (H311)
- Cause skin irritation (H315)
- Causes serious eye damage (H318)
- Causes serious eye irritation (H319)
- May cause respiratory irritation (H335)
Aveeno vs Dove: Dove Alarming Ingredients
An ingredient that should be highlighted but that is not alarming is soybean oil. Soybean oil (Glycine max) is a vegetable oil extracted from soybean seeds. If you allergic to soybean, then you should consider contacting your doctor or dermatologist before trying out this product.
Butylated Hydroxytoluene
By inhibiting the autoxidation of unsaturated organic compounds, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) prevents the formation of free radicals and oxidation in foods, cosmetics, and industrial fluids.
It has many potential health concerns for a number of conditions, including dermatitis. There are 34 total potential health concerns, making it quite a concerning ingredient. It does pose a number of health benefits for conditions such as stomach and heart diseases.
Despite this, it doesn’t have any noted safety hazards for sensitive skin.
Aveeno vs Dove: Which is Cheaper?
As of 2022, Dove is generally a cheaper product than Aveeno by a considerable margin. Even with sales from Amazon included, per fluid ounce Aveeno averages at $0.39 whereas Dove averages at $0.29. So if you want more for your moneys worth, Dove is the way to go.
From my personal experiences in Hong Kong, rarely do you see Aveeno on a price point that is similar to Dove. Even with packaged deals, Dove will always come out on top in terms of a price point. Not only the packaging sizes are bigger than Aveeno, it is still cheaper. From my calculations, Aveeno is around 33% more expensive than Dove.
Which is Better? Aveeno Body Wash or Dove Sensitive Body Wash?
From my personal experience, the Dove Sensitive Body Wash is the better out of the two because of the positive results I have seen after continuous use and the ingredients it contains. This is not saying Aveeno is a bad product however.
If you compare both products in terms of ingredients, Dove still comes out on top as Aveeno has sodium laureth sulfate which has many safety hazards involving skin. There is also a lot of evidence that it is a proven irritant.
If you have known food allergies, it can also affect the decision into what product to use. Aveeno also defines itself by using oats, so if you are not compatible with oats, then it is best to avoid the whole brand altogether. Despite this, oats is one natural ingredient that can be used for calming effects for skin. Interestingly, Dove has soybean oil which can cause an immune trigger response, leading to irritated skin. On the basis of common food allergies, Aveeno does reign supreme because of the benefits of oats in treating skin.
For the best results, it is best to contact your dermatologist or conduct an extensive allergy test. If these two are not possible options for yourself, you can do a patch test. Get each product, and apply to one side of your body, and the other on the other side. Record your results and determine what you feel is best for you.
