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Aveeno Ultra Calming face wash - Dermatitis ?
  • I have recently started using Aveeno Ultra Calming Face Wash. I have always had a good run with anything aveeno & picked this up after researching that this may be good forsensitive skin. However, I'm shocked to read on paula's beautypedia that it is a known cause for dermatitis & anybody with any skin type should avoid this.

    Is this true? I thought Aveeno has dermatologists on its board.
  • It'd be probably be more helpful if you listed the ingredients in the Face Wash. If you have access to Beautypedia, these are listed for you.
  • Here are the ingredients & the ingredient in question as per paula is the FEVERFEW.

    Water, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, PPG 2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide, Polysorbate 20, PEG 16 Soy Sterol, Citric Acid, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract (Feverfew), Glycine Soja Protein (Soybean), Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids (Essential Amino Complex), Sarcosine (Essential Amino Complex), Potassium Aspartate (Essential Amino Complex), Magnesium Aspartate (Essential Amino Complex), Phenoxyethanol, Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Coco PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Sodium Citrate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Xanthan Gum, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, Propylparaben, Sodium Hydroxide
  • I've never used the face wash but I do use the ultra-calming night cream and the daily moisturizer, both of which contain feverfew, and I've never had a problem. Blanket statements like "anybody with any skin type should avoid this" are unnecessarily extreme. When people who are pushing "natural" products make remarks like that about "chemicals" and "synthetics," we all poo-poo them and label it scare-mongering. It's just as bad coming from Paula. By all means, try the face wash and let us know if you like it.
  • Good point Purple.
    First, I'm skeptical that a brand like Aveeno produced by a pharmeceutical company like Johnson & Johnson would mass market a product known to cause contact dermatitis.  Their products go through more rigorous pre-market safety testing than probably any other brand out there.  The general advice to avoid it is too extreme.
    The Cosmetic Cop's assessment is most likely based only on the inclusion of a single "claims" ingredient not on any actual known cases of dermatitis caused by Aveeno.  The Feverfew is put in the formula at miniscule levels.  Even if their were cases of people being sensitive to it, there is not enough to cause any problems.  The dose matters.
    Problem with Reviews
    This is the problem with resources like the Beautypedia or the Skin Deep database.  In their zeal to simplify and create something that everyone can use, they over-simplify and give advice that is just wrong.
    The rationale goes something like this...Better safe than sorry.
    Unfortunately, you are not making yourself safer.  What happens is that people switch to alternatives that could be just as dangerous but have not been as thoroughly tested.  Dose matters!
    Something Interesting to Say
    The other challenge that Beautypedia or similar sites have is that they can't tell people that EVERYTHING is good (or bad).  They have to say something interesting about products. So, I  can imagine when they see a supposedly 'ultra-gentle" product like Aveeno use a compound known to cause some people problems, they are going to sound the alert.  It's just more interesting than saying Aveeno came out with another gentle product.
    We here at the Beauty Brains like and admire the Cosmetic Cop.  But the advice should not be taken as the final word on any product.  No one's general advice can apply to a specific person. 
    If you really want to know whether something will work for you, you have to try it yourself.
     
  • Thank you Left Brain. After using it twice, I figure it dries out my face. I have combination skin so its not easy to dry out my face. The other thing I noticed is that I got 4 new zits (Acne). I have gone back to my faithful Aquanil. Thank You for putting Beautypedia into perspective.
  • Paula's research obviously isn't perfect, because while Feverfew can be a significant source of irritation, Johnson and Johnson hold a patent on removing the irritating part of Feverfew, so that only the benefits remain.Google it and it comes up on their webpage
  • I have extremely sensitive skin, but I can only use this product in the summer
    when my skin is not as dry as winter. Perhaps you need something more moisturizing during the
    harsh time of the year. Eucerin has great cleasers for sensitive skin.
  • I have rosacea and have been using Aveeno's Ultra Calming Face Wash for several years with excellent results.  It's the only cleanser that I have found that doesn't irritate my skin and it really does seem to help with the redness and irritation.  My teenage son, who has mild acne, uses this cleanser with great results.  I agree with Left Brain -- everyone is different and what works on one person may not on another.
  • Just to put my two cents in:

    I went to the dermatologist because I had an outbreak of dermatitis on my face and she GAVE ME samples of Aveeno Ultra Calming moisturizer to use and told me to use it. I did, but it was the steroid that ultimately cleared up my dermatitis. Now, when I use this moisturizer, my face starts burning and swells. Go figure.