What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide
Cosmetic ColorantCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPropanediol
SolventPolyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientPropylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantPolypropylsilsesquioxane
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Silica
AbrasiveAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveCynara Scolymus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Water
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingLauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Sulfate
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningTrimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientLauroyl Lysine
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningPolymethyl Methacrylate
Polyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantGlutathione
Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide
AntioxidantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCollagen
MoisturisingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Zinc Oxide, Cyclohexasiloxane, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Dipropylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Dicaprylyl Ether, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Niacinamide, Caprylyl Methicone, Titanium Dioxide, Polypropylsilsesquioxane, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Silica, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Lauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Magnesium Sulfate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Lauroyl Lysine, Caprylyl Glycol, Aluminum Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Polyquaternium-51, Beta-Glucan, Tocopherol, Glutathione, Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide, Ceramide NP, Glyceryl Stearate, Collagen, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide EOP, Parfum, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclomethicone
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningMethyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDimethicone
EmollientDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingMagnesium Sulfate
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Centella Asiatica Extract
CleansingMel
EmollientHoney Extract
HumectantTalc
AbrasiveDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTrihydroxystearin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantMica
Cosmetic ColorantAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingPolyester-1
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantMethicone
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingEugenol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclomethicone, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Methyl Trimethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Magnesium Sulfate, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Centella Asiatica Extract, Mel, Honey Extract, Talc, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trihydroxystearin, Butylene Glycol, Mica, Aluminum Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Polyester-1, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methicone, Tocopherol, Parfum, Hexyl Cinnamal, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol, Eugenol, Limonene, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aluminum Hydroxide is a form of aluminum. It can be naturally found in nature as the mineral gibbsite. In cosmetics, Aluminum Hydroxide is used as a colorant, pH adjuster, and absorbent.
As a colorant, Aluminum Hydroxide may add opacity, or reduce the transparency. Aluminum hydroxide is contains both basic and acidic properties.
According to manufacturers, this ingredient is an emollient and humectant. This means it helps hydrate the skin.
In medicine, this ingredient is used to help relieve heartburn and help heal ulcers.
There is currently no credible scientific evidence linking aluminum hydroxide in cosmetics to increased cancer risk.
Major health organizations allow the use of aluminum hydroxide in personal care products and have not flagged it as a carcinogenic risk at typical usage levels.
Learn more about Aluminum HydroxideC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.
Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateCi 77491 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a red/pink hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created Ci 77491 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77491CI 77492 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a yellow hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created CI 77492 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77492Ci 77499 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It is created from mixing red and black iron oxides. This helps give shades of darkness to a product.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
This ingredient is a silicone elastomer that works as a texture enhancer, adds a silky slip, and also helps absorb excess oil.
Because it's a large macromolecule that's insoluble in water and chemically inert, it's not expected to penetrate or be absorbed into skin.
Human patch tests with a facial lotion containing 1% of this ingredient found no sensitization.
Learn more about Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone CrosspolymerDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolDisteardimonium Hectorite comes from the clay mineral named hectorite. It is used to add thickness to a product.
It can also help stabilize a product by helping to disperse other ingredients.
Hectorite is a rare, white clay mineral.
Learn more about Disteardimonium HectoriteEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinMagnesium Sulfate is a salt. More specifically, it is an epsom salt, or the bath salt used to help relieve muscle aches.
Despite having ‘sulfate’ in the name, it isn’t a surfactant or cleansing agent like sodium lauryl sulfate. Unlike those sulfates, magnesium sulfate doesn’t have the same cleansing or foaming properties (it's simply a type of salt).
In cosmetics, Magnesium Sulfate is used to thicken a product or help dilute other solids. It is a non-reactive and non-irritating ingredient.
One study shows magnesium deficiency may lead to inflammation of the skin. Applying magnesium topically may help reduce inflammation.
You can find this ingredient in sea water or mineral deposits.
Learn more about Magnesium SulfateParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water