Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance
The Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance is a moisturizer. Our analysis of its 38 ingredients (32 low-risk) rates it Excellent (91/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone and dry skin.
The Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance is a moisturizer. Our analysis of its 38 ingredients (32 low-risk) rates it Excellent (91/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone and dry skin.
Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.
The evidence
| EWG | CIR | Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
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Water
(Solvent) |
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Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient) |
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Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emollient) |
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Butylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Solvent, Viscositydecreasing Agent, Humectant, Masking, Viscosity Controlling) |
Good for Dry Skin
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PEG-8
(Humectant, Solvent) |
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Stearic Acid
(Fragrance, Sufactant, Emulsifying, Surfactantsurfactant Cleansing Agent Is Included As A Function For The Soap Form Of Stearic Acid., Emulsion Stabilising, Masking, Refatting) |
Bad for Oily Skin
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
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Dimethicone
(Antifoaming Agent, Skin Protecting, Emollient, Skin Conditioning) |
Silicone
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Glyceryl Stearate
(Emollient, Emulsifying) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
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PEG-100 Stearate
(Surfactant) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
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Lactamide MEA
(Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Antistatic Agent, Skin Conditioning) |
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Cetyl Dimethicone
(Antifoaming Agent, Skin Conditioning Agent Occlusive, Emollient) |
Silicone
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Cetyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Fragrance, Opacifying, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Masking, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
(Skin Conditioning) |
Good for Sensitive Skin
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Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract
(Astringent, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Tonic) |
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Centella Asiatica Extract
(Cleansing, Skin Conditioning, Smoothing, Soothing, Tonic) |
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Echinacea Purpurea Extract
(Moisturising, Skin Conditioning, Tonic) |
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Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract
(Anticaries Agent, Antidandruff Agent, Antifungal Agent, Antimicrobial Agent, Antioxidant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Sunscreen Agent, Uv Absorber) |
Good for Dry Skin
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Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
(Astringent, Skin Conditioning) |
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Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Dioscorea Villosa (Wild Yam) Root Extract
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Lecithin
(Skin Conditioning, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Antistatic Agent, Emollient) |
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Sodium Hyaluronate
(Skin Conditioning, Humectant) |
Good for Dry Skin
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Glycolipids
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A) |
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne Trigger
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Ascorbyl Palmitate
(Antioxidant, Masking) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
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Phospholipids
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Tocopheryl Acetate
(Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning) |
Bad for Oily Skin
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Superoxide Dismutase
(Reducing, Skin Conditioning, Antioxidant) |
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Sodium PCA
(Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Antistatic Agent, Skin Conditioning) |
Good for Dry Skin
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Ethylhexylglycerin
(Deodorant, Skin Conditioning) |
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Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative) |
Paraben
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Carbomer
(Emulsion Stabilising, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Gel Forming, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
(Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
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Disodium EDTA
(Chelating Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Aminomethyl Propanol
(Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent) |
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Citronellol
(Fragrance, Masking) |
Allergens
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Geraniol
(Fragrance, Masking, Tonic) |
Allergens
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Linalool
(Fragrance, Deodorant, Masking) |
Allergens
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No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.
EWG flags hazard, not real-world risk — ratings don't account for how much of an ingredient a product contains. Treat these as things to research, not verdicts. How we score →
How to use
General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.
Trust & honesty
Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.
Topical retinoids (retinol, retinaldehyde, retinyl esters) are widely advised against in pregnancy as a precaution. The strongest evidence is for ORAL retinoids; topical absorption is low, but most clinicians err on the side of caution.
This is general information, not medical advice. Pregnancy guidance varies and depends on concentration and your individual situation — always check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist. How we flag this.
The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.
Most studied between 0.1% and 1%. Higher is not automatically better — irritation climbs with dose, so a well-formulated lower strength is often the sweet spot.
Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A)
L-ascorbic acid is usually used at 5–20% (around 10–15% is common). Above ~20% adds little and tends to irritate more; it also needs a low pH to work.
Ascorbyl Palmitate
INCI lists don't disclose amounts, and we don't claim to know this product's levels — these are the ranges these ingredients are usually effective at, so you can tell a real formula from "fairy-dusting" a marketed active. How we estimate this.
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