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Just over a year ago we highlighted a clinical trial that was due to set a Burt’s Bees natural skincare regime against the rosacea juggernaut that is Galderma’s Cetaphil range. What did the trial assess, and who was declared the winner? Well now we know becuase the trial results have been published, see the below for the details.
What was the aim of the trial?
Specifically, in a loaded description, the trial was to comparet a “cleanser containing natural oils, beeswax, and witch hazel, and day and night creams containing natural oils, glycerin, and botanical anti-inflammatories” against a “synthetic dermatologist-recommended regimen of cetyl alcohol, sodium lauryl sulphate-containing cleanser, and glycerin, polyisobutene-containing lotion”.
Sounds like an unfair fight right? All natural versus all those chemical sounding ingredients. Indeed the trial named the Burt’s Bees regime NR and Cetaphil as CR – making us imagine that this is a natural regime versus and chemical regime. If course nothing is quite that simple when it comes to rosacea skincare.
Each regime was to be assessed in their ability to work with Metrogel and result in a gentle supportive regime.
This research aimed to better understand the role of moisturizers and cleansers in moderate to severe rosacea patients who had undergone treatment with metronidazole 0.75% gel twice daily for 4 weeks prior to initiating a new skin care regimen.
Who won? Burt’s Bees or Cetaphil?
This trial, sponsored by Burt’s Bees found that the Burt’s Bees regime was better in improving overall rosacea symptoms than Cetaphil as judged by the investigators. Overall skin appearance, hydration and barrier function improvements we comparable between the 2 regimes.
So this small trial was able to identify a win for Burt’s Bees. If you want to try an alternative to Cetaphil, a rosacea friendly Burt’s Bees regime might be worth a try.
Article Abstract
Natural Skin Care Products as Adjunctive to Prescription Therapy in Moderate to Severe Rosacea
J Drugs Dermatol. 2019;18(2):141-146
BACKGROUND: Rosacea is characterized by irritation associated with erythema, telangiectasias and papules/pustules. Whole formula nature-based sensitive skin products are formulated to maintain skin barrier and appropriate hydration that can lead to soothing benefits.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of a regimen consisting of a cleanser containing natural oils, beeswax, and witch hazel and day and night creams containing natural oils, glycerin, and botanical anti-inflammatories (NR); and a synthetic dermatologist-recommended regimen of cetyl alcohol, sodium lauryl sulphate-containing cleanser, and glycerin, polyisobutene-containing lotion (CR) in subjects with rosacea.
METHODS: 80 female subjects with rosacea who received 6 weeks of 0.75% metronidazole gel, were randomized to receive NR or CR, twice daily, for 4 weeks in conjunction with the gel. Blinded investigator global assessment of rosacea, investigator-rated, and subject-rated overall skin appearance was assessed using a 5-point scale (0=none, 4=severe) at baseline, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks. Noninvasive skin assessments for skin hydration and skin barrier function were made by corneometry and TEWL, respectively.
RESULTS: NR resulted in improvement in investigator global assessment of rosacea measures at 4 weeks from baseline (erythema, 28%; telangiectasia, 26%; papules/pustules, 34%: P<0.001) and CR resulted in a 8 to 12% improvement. Differences between treatments were statistically significant.
Overall skin appearance measured by the investigator was clinically and statistically improved from baseline by 32% and 12% with NR and CR, respectively. Overall skin appearance measured by subjects was improved by both NR and CR from baseline with no differences between treatments.
Both regimens improved barrier function from baseline to week 4 (13%, NR; 14%, CR). NR decreased hydration by 21% from baseline at week 4 while CR increased hydration by 14% (P<0.001 from NR).
No clinically significant tolerability issues were reported in either regimen at week 4.
CONCLUSION: NR was effective, well tolerated, and superior to CR in the management of rosacea, concomitantly treated with metronidazole.
National Clinical Trial Identifier: NCT03392558
Cetaphil Rosacea Friendly Skincare Range
The Cetaphil range has been talked about frequently online – for more information see the following reviews
- Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser User Reviews
- Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream User Reviews
- Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar User Reviews
Try These Products
- Amazon: Burt’s Bees Range
- Amazon: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion.
Related Articles
- Burt’s Bees regimen takes on the Cetaphil skincare range
- Syndets and Lipid Free Cleansers, What Are They? Do They Work?
- Mild Cleanser is Important
- Cleansing and the Management of Rosacea
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“PHat5.5 roseacea wash beats them both by far. NOW brand manuka honey rosacea cleanser same ingredients but caused flare up. Emergen-C electrolyte drink much improved symptoms too. Please let readers know. Added this to potassium and niacinimide and skin best in 2 years.”
“I use Bird’s facial oil, complexion stick, and mineral based organic sunscreen. I am 58. My skin has never looked better. My entire regimen costs less than 40 a month.”
Birds’s facial oil is there a site for this product?
I’m not surprised that this natural product won the battle of the rosacea products. I myself swear by proskin rosacea which also contains natural botanicals and I am surprised this has not been featured yet in your informative website. I suppose you can’t feature every product that works.
My wife has had rosacea for over 30 years. She has used Cetaphyl, Moo-Goo and Burt’s Bees products for years at a time. Her current regime is her favourite.
A small tube of Hada Labo cleanser lasts her 3-4 months with twice-daily use. The main active here is Hyaluronic acid.
This, combined with I-Mju Hatomugi skin conditioning gel and lotion has dramatically improved the softness and texture of her skin, in addition to relieving the itchiness and dryness.
They can be hard to find but in our opinion it’s worth the effort.
I”m not trying to be negative both products may work well for different people. I tend to be very skeptical of any study that is done by anyone who is associated or sells one of the product lines being studied and judges the results
“This trial, sponsored by Burt’s Bees found that the Burt’s Bees regime was better in improving overall rosacea symptoms than Cetaphil as judged by the investigators (who are the investigators)
to be a credible study you need to have double blind study with each product being tested. Each product tested needs a minimum of 2 groups that each include a significant number randomly selection suffers.
Neither group is aware of what product they receive
One group gets the product being tested
The other gets a placebo
You do this for both products, catalog & compare results. Unfortunately good research takes time and is often not done. So there are a lot of opinions…Testamonials…there’s Nothing wrong with those, there just not well done studies or research. I’ve just been diagnosed and the NIH website epidemiology has been the best source for double blind research studies if any have been done on products or any medical treatments.