A moisture-binding ingredient that can also soften thickened scale in suitable formulations.
Sources: 1Carbamide
Not assessed
No pregnancy- or breastfeeding-specific assessment has been completed for this record. A cosmetic safety review is not a pregnancy rating.
Limited evidence
Urea
What it does
Supports hydration in moisturizers; more keratolytic preparations are used for rough, thickened skin. The percentage and vehicle change the intended effect.
Sources: 1Good for
- Dry skin
- Rough or thickened scale in suitable products
How to use it
Use the finished product on the body site and at the frequency specified by its label. Do not use a concentrated foot preparation as a facial moisturizer unless explicitly intended for that use.
Sources: 1Who should be careful
May sting on fissured, inflamed or otherwise damaged skin. High-strength or medicine-type uses need product-specific advice, especially for children and sensitive body sites.
Sources: 1Pairs well with
No supported pairings have been documented for this record.
Usage, safety and formulation details
Mechanism of action
Urea is part of the skin's natural moisturizing factor and interacts with water and keratin. This cosmetic record does not concern urine application or systemic urea treatment.
Sources: 1Potential adverse effects
Stinging, burning or irritation can occur, particularly on broken skin or with stronger preparations.
Sources: 1Formulation considerations
Control concentration, final pH, stability and packaging. A cream studied for atopic dermatitis does not establish the same performance for every urea product.
Sources: 1Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Not assessed
No pregnancy- or breastfeeding-specific assessment has been completed for this record. A cosmetic safety review is not a pregnancy rating.
Safety tags
- Fragrance allergen
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
- Essential oil
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
- Drying alcohol
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
- May irritate sensitive skin
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
What remains uncertain
- Exact concentration, final pH and the full composition of any unprovided finished product
Clinical evidence and research (1 studies)
Clinical evidence
Evidence for its main benefitLimited evidence
A cited study is entered below. Its formulation, exposure and limitations must be considered before applying the results to another product.
Sources: 1Urea-containing moisturizers in atopic dermatitis: tolerance and efficacy study
- Design
- Randomized, double-blind comparison of two moisturizers
- Population
- 100 people with atopic dermatitis
- Studied concentration
- 5% urea moisturizer versus 10% urea lotion
- Duration
- 42 days
The study compared tolerance and moisturizing efficacy of the two finished products.
Limitations: Both products contained urea and their vehicles differed; this does not isolate the ingredient or establish a universally preferable percentage.
Randomised clinical trialSources: 1Regulation and ingredient label names
Regulatory information
No jurisdiction-specific assessment is recorded. An inventory listing is not blanket approval.
Names on ingredient lists
urea
Chemical identity and molecular structure
Chemical information
Chemical structure
| Detail | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PubChem CID | 1176 | PubChem compound 1176: chemical identity |
| molecular formula | CH4N2O | PubChem compound 1176: chemical identity |
| molecular weight | 60.06 g/mol | PubChem compound 1176: chemical identity |
| iupac name | urea | PubChem compound 1176: chemical identity |
Content updated 9 November 2026.
Sources (2)
Scientific sources
- Urea-containing moisturizers in atopic dermatitis: tolerance and efficacy studyrandomized human trial · 2010
- PubChem compound 1176: chemical identitychemical identity
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