Equate

Equate Gentle Skin Cream.

Moisturizers

About this product

An affordable fragrance-free moisturizing cream designed for body and face, formulated with glycerin, petrolatum, dimethicone, and sweet almond oil.

Full ingredients

Water, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Dicaprylyl Ether, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, PEG-30 Glyceryl Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide

Guru Score

65%

Mixed

Early verdict · Few reviews so far

What the gurus are saying

This thick cream earns strong praise for its value and texture, though one expert found it drying with an off-putting medicinal smell. Dermatologists highlight the humectant glycerin and occlusive petrolatum that work together to seal moisture in, plus dimethicone for slip and a lighter feel, making it especially good for eczema and winter dryness. At roughly 40 cents per ounce, it's the least expensive option these experts tested. One caveat: it lacks the niacinamide and panthenol in the newer Cetaphil reformulation, which is actually a plus if those actives have ever stung your skin.

Synthesized from 2 expert reviews · most recent take June 2025

What they liked

Thick, non-greasy texture with good slip
Excellent value at roughly 40 cents per ounce

What they flagged

Strong fragrance and camphor smell irritating to some
Propylene glycol and phenol may trigger sensitivity
Left one tester with flaking and dryness

Best for

Dry skin Sensitive skin

Type

MoisturizersCream

Key actives

Vitamin E

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeNo drying alcohol

Where to buy

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What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

208SkinDoc

2.10M subs

~Nay

"It has so much fragrance to it, the added fragrance, the camphor, the phenol, you can smell all of it, and I did not enjoy this. There's propylene glycol in here too, which can be an irritant or allergen for some people, and phenol at high concentrations is what we use in the most aggressive chemical peels in dermatology. The smell reminds me of the cadaver lab from college and med school. [...] It's no wonder I had flakes of skin all over my face like sandpaper from using this."

Dr Dray

2.69M subs

~Yay

"I reviewed the equate version of Cetaphil cream a couple of years ago and it was great."

All 3 takes from Dr Dray

*NEW* BUDGET SKIN CARE FINDS AT WALMART 🛍 @DrDrayzday

"I reviewed the equate version of Cetaphil cream a couple of years ago and it was great."

The BEST BUDGET FRIENDLY SKINCARE PRODUCTS OF 2022

"The Gentle Skin Cream from Equate is really good, it's the generic version of the Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream. [...] It's a very nice, thick moisturizing body cream, great if you have eczema. It has glycerin and petrolatum, so the glycerin is a humectant and the petrolatum really helps seal everything in, plus dimethicone as another occlusive that gives it slip and a more lightweight feel, and sweet almond oil."

Is EQUATE AS GOOD AS CERAVE & CETAPHIL CREAMS? DERMATOLOGIST @DrDrayzday REVIEWS

"Both feel exactly the same on the skin, the same consistency, [...] neither greasy, though if you look really carefully [...] the Equate version has a bit more of a waxy look to it. [...] Performance wise they both remain unsticky the next morning and I don't notice any difference. [...] If you're strapped for cash this is going to be your go-to, it's a fantastic fragrance free moisturizer, inexpensive, and the best value of everything I've shown here."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant, and it is often in a formula to keep the other ingredients stable rather than as the active itself. It pairs well with vitamin C, though on its own the evidence for visible change is limited.

Source: NIH, National Library of Medicine

Frequently asked.

What is Equate Gentle Skin Cream?

An affordable fragrance-free moisturizing cream designed for body and face, formulated with glycerin, petrolatum, dimethicone, and sweet almond oil.

Is Equate Gentle Skin Cream worth it?

The gurus mostly approve it, but with enough reservations to keep it in the middle at a Guru Score of 65%.

What is Equate Gentle Skin Cream's Guru Score?

Equate Gentle Skin Cream holds a Guru Score of 65%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 2 expert reviewers we have collected.