Featured in TIME Magazine, Oprah, Esquire & Good Housekeeping.

Urea Product Ingredients

Urea

 A "gold standard" for extremely dry skin; it gently dissolves dead skin cells while pulling moisture into the deeper layers. Our urea is 100% Vegan, synthetically derived.

Salicylic Acid

 With deep exfoliation, salicylic acid penetrates deep into the pores to help dissolve dead skin cells. With natural inflammation control, regular use helps smooth out bumpy skin. 

Hyaluronic Acid

 Excellent at helping retain moisture, hyaluronic acid helps to maintain a healthy and hydrated skin barrier. 

Cream vs. Gel Urea Formulas

Our urea cream is rich, thick, and nourishing with slower absorption. It's designed to sit of the surface of the skin and help repair the barrier.

Our urea gel dries down quickly, rapidly delivering urea to the skin. It's a little more of a lightweight texture. 

What is Urea?

Urea is a fascinating and very helpful ingredient, though it provides benefits that sometimes seem at odds with each other. It’s a natural moisturizer and at the same time, a natural keratolytic (exfoliating) ingredient.   
Your body produces Urea naturally, as a natural moisturizing factor, and it helps build and maintain a strong and healthy skin barrier. But when used in higher concentrations, like in a topical cream, it helps break down thick, rough dry skin. That’s why podiatrists and dermatologists often recommend products with Urea for very dry skin. 
Urea, which is also known as Carbamide, is a very commonly used ingredient in skincare products, and has long been produced in labs. It helps draw moisture to your skin as a humectant, and helps retain moisture as an emollient. The funny thing is that it breaks down the top, thick dry layers of skin as an exfoliant at the same time. 

Together with other moisturizing ingredients like Aloe Vera, Shea Butter and Jojoba it gently brings rough skin back into health. Products with Urea are safe for most people with even very dry skin. If you are Diabetic, or have Psoriasis, be sure to check with your dermatologist and apply as directed on the label. 
We offer three different products that contain Urea in three different concentrations:
20% cream                         40% Cream                                  42% Urea Gel

 

Learn More

We’ve been generating headlines since the 90s, but our mission remains the same: healthy and simple products that actually work. See why editors at Good Housekeeping and The Green Beauty Bible keep coming back to us.

Organic and Earth-First

From certified organic ingredients to water-safe manufacturing, your comfort never comes at the planet's expense.

Our cotton products are unbleached, undyed, and chemical-free, while white fabrics are gently peroxide bleached. We were among the first to encourage environmentally responsible manufacturing and our dyed products use less-toxic cold-dye processing.

Certified Organic ingredients in our personal care products are verified by Oregon Tilth.

We value long-term usability, including packaging. Many jars and bottles use amber #1 PETE plastic, which is widely recyclable and protects contents from light and air, reducing preservative needs. Others use recyclable #5 PP plastic.

All products are vegan and never tested on animals.

Learn more about our Our Eco-Partners & Environmental Policies

Artisanal Since 1990

We don't just employ artisans; we’ve funded the education of our craftswomen and their children since 1993. These artisans have perfected the craft of our Terra Cotta Footscrubber, built to last years. Founded with a passion for quality and craftsmanship, our brand has been dedicated to creating exceptional products that stand the test of time. Every piece tells a story of dedication and attention to detail.

Our Story: Made With Love

It’s almost embarrassing. After years of often going barefoot in her garden and outdoors, Ann had terrible feet. But while living in Pakistan, she and her husband Kumy discovered a traditional terra-cotta “pumice stone” that tamed even her wild feet. That remarkable tool—the 2-Sided Terra-Cotta Foot Scrubber—became the first Gilden Tree product when we brought it back to the U.S. in 1990.


From that small beginning, Gilden Tree has grown to include healing foot creams, lotions, and aromatherapy shower steamers—all made in the USA with natural ingredients that help the body heal itself. In 1995, we introduced 100% Natural Cotton Waffle Weave Towels crafted from pure, chemical-free cotton that dries up to 40% faster than Terry towels.

Expert-Tested. Editor-Approved.

Your home deserves the gold standard. Whether it's our waffle towels being hailed as "Hotel Spa" quality by Esquire or our skincare essentials featured inThe Green Beauty Bible, we’ve spent 30 years perfecting the items that elevate your everyday routine.

See us in TIME Magazine: Sisters in Trade

See us in Good Housekeeping: 7 Best Waffle Towels, According to Textile Experts

See us in Oprah Magazine: The best Sole Saver

See us in Omaha Magazine: A Golden Opportunity Reaps Rewards

See us in Esquire Magazine: These 7 Best Waffle Towel Sets Make Your Bathroom Feel Like a Hotel Spa

Featured in The Green Beauty Bible: The Ultimate Guide to Being Naturally Gorgeous