Aveeno and Neutrogena are giants when it comes to providing sunscreen options for Eczema users. Which one is better for our sensitive skin and are there any underlying harmful ingredients with bad side effects?
Aveeno vs Neutrogena: Product Comparison
In our articles of the best sun creams for Eczema, the Aveeno Natural Protection Lotion Sunscreen and the Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunscreen Lotion SPF 60+ were two of our top picks. So for the focus of the study, we will be comparing these two products.
Aveeno Natural Protection Lotion Sunscreen: Product Analysis
Lotions containing oat abstract are recommended by dermatologists for nourishing and soothing sensitive skin. Additionally, it is fragrance-free and oil-free, which means you don’t need to worry about smelling like swimming pool after using it.
It should be noted that this product does have Bisabolol and Benzyl Alcohol which can cause a reaction to your skin. Do be wary, trial it first on a patch of skin!
Neuotrogena Sensitive Skin Sunscreen Lotion SPF 60+: Product Analysis
Mineral blends sit on the skin and function as a barrier to protect and are less irritating than chemical sun creams (whose chemical ingredients are absorbed into the skin). Unlike most sunscreens, this one does not contain fragrances, is hypoallergenic, and is not greasy.
Personally I would avoid this one despite it being it highly recommended by others. It has a number of alarming ingredients such as:
Aveeno vs Neutrogena Sunscreen: Which is Cheaper?
Both Aveeno and Neutrogena are roughly the same price when comparing them in their retrospective Amazon official stores, coming to roughly $2.99 per ounce after discounts.
However, Aveeno does offer a larger packaging that will highly reduce the cost per ounce. Nearly halving the price, to roughly $1.50 per ounce. So do keep a lookout for the larger packaging! Get more for your money.
These prices were calculated at the time of this blog, so to get more up to date prices, you can click on the links below that will redirect you to the Amazon website, searching for the two products that we have mentioned.
Aveeno vs Neutrogena Sunscreen: Benzene Contamination
Aveeno and Neutrogena have recently pulled several variations of their sunscreens from market shelves after finding out they were contaminated with a chemical called benzene. This has caused quite a stir with many who rely on the two giant brands.
With the peak of Summer, many of us rely on using sunscreen to protect our sensitive skin from the sun. The question is, what can benzene actually do our skins?
The Sunscreens with Benzene
The batches of sunscreens were four from Neutrogena and one by Aveeno.
- Neutrogena Beach Defense
- Neutrogena Cool Dry Sport
- Neutrogena Invisible Daily™ defense
- Neutrogena Ultra Sheer®
- Aveeno Protect + Refresh
The parent company, Johnson & Johnson, stated that: “While benzene is not an ingredient in any of our sunscreen products, it was detected in some samples of the impacted aerosol sunscreen finished products. Consumers should stop using these specific products and appropriately discard them.”
The findings behind the study that unearthed this discovery can be found here.
There are many theories as to how benzene got into the sunscreens,. Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs for the Environmental Working Group stated “Benzene could be a byproduct of the process of making the chemicals that companies sell to the formulators of personal care products and sunscreens. Or it could be that some of those chemicals break down into benzene, although that seems less likely.”
There is no real way to finding out if your product has benzene without getting it tested for contaminants. The best approach of action is to stop using the suggested brands and go for an alternative. From the study, there were many more sunscreens that had benzene.
What is Benzene?
Benzene is a natural component of crude oil, gasoline and cigarette smoke and ranks in the top 20 chemicals used for production of “lubricants, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides,” as well as “plastics, resins, and nylon and synthetic fibers,” according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Benzene is most commonly used for the production of drugs, pharmaceuticals, plastics, rubber, and dyes. The natural combustion of carbon contains this element, as will occur when materials containing carbon begin to burn, but are not consumed by the fire. Aside from that, smoke from cigarette cigarettes contains it along with forest fires and volcanoes.
What can Benzene do to Eczema?
It is possible for benzene exposure to harm an individual in a number of ways. As the amount of benzene that individuals are exposed to and the length of time that they are exposed to affects the severity of injuries, or severity of symptoms, caused by benzene exposure.
If benzene is exposed for a short period of time, it can irritate the respiratory tract, skin, and eyes, and can even cause dizziness, drowsiness, stupor, seizures, comas, and possibly even death. Skin can also be damaged by benzene. Dermatitis, characterized by dry, irritated, red skin, may be caused by exposure to benzene vapors at low levels.
In prolonged exposure to benzene, life-threatening effects, like anemia and cancer, have been reported, especially various forms of leukemia, but acute myelogenous leukemia is the strongest link, followed by chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The lungs can be severely damaged by high levels of exposure, resulting in fluid accumulation and bleeding, which is often fatal. The skin can be burnt to a second-degree degree by highly concentrated benzene vapors or liquid benzene spills.
Aveeno vs Neutrogena Sunscreens: What Other Sunscreens Can I Use?
EWG publishes a great guide of recommended sunscreen products that avoid harmful chemicals that is posted annually. EWG conducted an additional 500 sunscreen analyses, bringing the total to more than 1,800 products, and found that 75% did not protect against the sun adequately or contained harmful ingredients.
To find more information about the guide, you can visit the link here.
When experiencing eczema, you may notice how difficult it can be to find the right sun lotion. Eczema sufferers often develop an addiction to sun cream, as they react to numerous brands and products. A mineral-based indicator, a substitute for sun lotion, is cooler for many eczema patients than chemical absorbers. If you are looking for mineral-based reflectors, try for the ingredient titanium dioxide.
RECOMMENDED: Cerave Hydrating Mineral Face Sunscreen SPF 50
In this lightweight blend, the ceramides are formulated with dermatologist expertise so as to provide moisture protection, without adding additional weight. Unlike zinc oxide, which can give you a Casper-the-Friendly-Ghost appearance, this high-tech blend rubs on completely clear.
Also note that Cerave is one of the most popular brands for many Eczema sufferers! You should definitely try out their other products as well.
NOTE: Be sure to get the hydrating sunscreen, not just the original. You can tell the differences in the title. According to 1Source, the original (Cerave Sunscreen SPF 50) has some alarming ingredients such as Vitamin A and Bisabolol which can cause skin allergic reactions.
Aveeno vs Neutrogena Sunscreen: Conclusion
From my own personal experiences, I didn’t have any good reactions to both Aveeno and Neutrogena products. Both have Benzyl Alcohol which is highly alarming for sensitive skin. From trying out their moisturizing products in the past as well, I knew that both were not a good fit for my skin.
The CeraVe alternative I personally recommend for those looking for a good solid sunscreen for Eczema. However there is no harm in trying all three of the products mentioned in the article. Just be sure to patch test yourself first by applying a small dab on your skin and note the reaction. If your skin gets irritated, it is not the sunscreen for you!
