We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission or other tangible benefit. Optum Store, Optum Perks, and Healthline Media are owned by RVO Health. Here’s our process.
Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.
Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:
- Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?
- Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence?
- Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices?
We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness.
Was this helpful?
When your skin needs some TLC, the product you reach for can make all the difference.
Two popular brands to choose from are Eucerin and Aquaphor. Eucerin makes a moisturizer that mainly hydrates the skin, while Aquaphor has a petroleum jelly that treats and protects the skin’s barrier.
Both products are used to treat various skin conditions. This ranges from slightly irritated or reactive skin to diagnosed eczema and atopic dermatitis.
So, which belongs in your cabinet? Eucerin? Aquaphor? Both?
We’re here to help you narrow this down. This article will explore different products in order to determine which is the most effective.
Aquaphor is one of the most trusted names in skin care.
Aquaphor products repair severely dry skin, skin disorders, and wounds. You can use it for multiple uses, such as a lip balm, tattoo healing cream, and moisturizer.
It contains 45 percent petrolatum, also called petroleum jelly, which is one of the most effective skin occlusives, which are moisturizing agents. It works to soothe and protect chapped skin.
According to Purvisha Patel, MD, dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare, Aquaphor is meant to be applied on damp skin to trap moisture. This also forms a barrier to the outside environment to promote wound healing.
“This is best used when the skin is actually dry or cracked (flare) to help the skin barrier heal, then an emollient is used to keep the skin barrier intact,” says Patel.
Eucerin products are formulated as emollients, which are a mixture of oil and water that traps water onto the skin. “Emollients are best used on noninflamed skin to prevent issues such as eczema and dryness from happening,” says Patel.
If you’re looking for a product that is non-greasy, Eucerin is the top choice, adds Malini Fowler, FAAD, board certified dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology.
You can purchase Eucerin products in a cream or a lotion, but not an ointment. While either one is effective, the cream version tends to be greasier.
Both brands are made from the same German-based company, Beiersdorf Inc. It’s a global skin care company that also owns Nivea, Coppertone, and Labello.
That being said, both Aquaphor and Eucerin vary in terms of customer reviews and customer service.
For instance, customer reviews for Aquaphor’s Healing Ointment are very positive. There are over 47,499 reviews, with 88 percent of these 5-star. One customer said that the ointment helped his wife with her hand-foot syndrome that developed as a result of chemotherapy. “She can now walk without severe pain, and no more cracks in the soles of her feet,” they wrote.
Among the few complaints, some wrote that Aquaphor left their skin feeling “greasy.”
The reviews of Eucerin on TrustPilot are average with 3.5 stars. While some customers were satisfied with certain products, others were a miss. “Unfortunately, their dry scalp application does not work for me at all!!” one customer wrote.
The reviews for Eucerin Intensive Repair Lotion on Amazon were significantly more positive. Out of 13,742 Amazon reviews, 83 percent were 5-star. One mother wrote that she decided to try the lotion after reading that it’s recommended for People of Color. Since trying it, she’s noticed a positive difference in her daughter’s eczema and her own dry skin.
Overall, Aquaphor came out on top with the best reviews. It’s also highly trusted by dermatologists.
As trusted skin care brands, both Aquaphor and Eucerin have popular lines of products.
Aquaphor’s most popular products include:
- Aquaphor Healing Ointment
- Aquaphor Ointment Body Spray
- Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment
- Aquaphor Lip Repair Ointment
Eucerin’s most popular products include:
Both brands have a large selection of products. When choosing products from both brands, we considered effectiveness, ingredients, benefits, and customer reviews.
We also chose items that are recommended by dermatologists. These are products they use on their own skin, as well as the products they recommend to their patients to address skin concerns.
Pricing guide
We included products with a range of price points using the following guide:
- $ = under $10
- $$ = $10–$20
Best for chapped lips
Aquaphor Lip Repair Ointment
Price: $
While many people are prone to chapped lips in the winter, they can strike at any time. Aquaphor Lip Repair Stick may help. It boasts over 23,396 reviews on Amazon.
“Think of applying the Lip Repair with SPF on the beach or on ski lifts,” says Fowler. Shea butter and chamomile essence work to improve the taste, and petroleum jelly makes lips shine.
Best for eczema
Eucerin Eczema Relief Cream
Price: $
This is Fowler’s go-to recommendation for her patients with eczema. The cream soothes skin by locking in moisture. It also doesn’t contain any added fragrances, which can irritate sensitive skin, says Anne Beal, MD, MPH, founder and CEO of AbsoluteJOI Skincare.
Fowler recommends putting the cream all over your body after a shower. She also recommends purchasing the hand cream version of this to rehydrate your hands on the go.
Best for versatile skin care
Aquaphor Healing Ointment
Price: $$
This is a product of true versatility. It is made to treat lips, skin, and cracked heels. Some even use it as a gentle makeup remover. “The ointment creates a protective barrier from the outside, so the skin can heal,” says Patel, who calls it her favorite product.
It’s also useful for damaged or open wounds and cuts. It helps prevent infection and allows the skin to heal quickly. “This is why Aquaphor is used all the time on open wounds and clean surgical wounds,” explains Calvin Williams, MD, FAAD, board certified dermatologist and medical director of the Essential Dermatology Group. “Protection from outside elements can help to heal wounds faster and with fewer complications.”
Best for an everyday moisturizer
Eucerin Advanced Repair Cream
Price: $$
This product contains several skin-boosting ingredients, such as petrolatum and mineral oil. It also contains ceramides, which are helpful for dry skin. “Ceramides can help with patients with atopic dermatitis or eczema, as their skin can be devoid in these key skin components,” explains Williams.
Lastly, it contains humectants, such as urea, one of the most effective humectants that exist. This helps to attract and retain moisture. As for cons, a few users said that the thick texture was hard to apply.
Aquaphor and Eucerin are two of the most popular skin care brands on the market. Even though they’re made by the same company, there are some differences.
Aquaphor is petrolatum-based, making it designed to heal and protect dry or cracked skin, in addition to other irritations. Meanwhile, Eucerin’s formulation consists of water in an oil emulsion. It works to lock in moisture and heal dry skin.
Both can be beneficial for skin. If you’re looking for a product best for damaged skin, that’s Aquaphor. It’s much more powerful than Eucerin at treating moderate to severe skin issues.
You can always speak with a dermatologist to find what’s right for you and your skin.
