What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclomethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientBehenyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingGlyceryl Ethylhexanoate/Stearate/Adipate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sucrose Acetate Isobutyrate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingLauryl PEG-8 Dimethicone
Surfactant
Alumina
Abrasive
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Methicone
Emollient
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Dimethicone
Emollient
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningTripeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclomethicone, Butylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Isononyl Isononanoate, Behenyl Dimethicone, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Glyceryl Ethylhexanoate/Stearate/Adipate, Phenoxyethanol, Sucrose Acetate Isobutyrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Chloride, Lauryl PEG-8 Dimethicone, Alumina, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Methicone, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Dimethicone, Tropolone, Tripeptide-3, Hexapeptide-3, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolThis ingredient is a silicone-based emulsifer that helps the water and oil phases play nicely together.
It's pretty effective because one end of the molecule loves oil and the other one loves water.
Besides holding formulas together, it also leaves a silky and lightweight feel on skin without the greasiness. A manufacturer also claims it can help with the controlled release of active ingredients.
The CIR Expert Panel found this ingredient to not be sensitizing in concentrations up to 15% in human maximazation testing and dimethicone-based compounds were not comedogenic.
It has a high molecular weight well above 1,000 g/mol which means it limits meaningful skin penetration.
A 2019 study specifically tested this ingredient and found no observable Malassezia growth in its presence.
Learn more about Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 DimethiconeDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisteardimonium 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 HectoriteMethicone is a type of silicone and is a simpler form of dimethicone.
Silicones are used to enhance the texture of products and have emollient properties. Methicone is used to give products a silky texture and improves spreadability.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium Dehydroacetate is a synthetic preservative and sodium salt form of dehydroacetic acid. It stops bacteria, mold, and yeast from growing in your products at low concentrations.
Clinical testing found it to be non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-photosensitizing. It's also not significantly absorbed through skin.
There are a very small number of reported cases of contact dermatitis in cases linked to wound-care creams used over compromised skin (rather than skincare).
Overall, this is a well-studied and low-risk preservative just doing its job.
Typical concentrations run up to 0.6%, which is also the maximum amount permitted under both EU CosIng regulations and US FDA guidelines.
Learn more about Sodium DehydroacetateTriethoxycaprylylsilane is a silicon-based surface modifier that makes sunscreens feel silky and makeup stay put.
Its main job is to coat mineral particles like titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and color pigments in a thin, oily layer so they spread smoothly, don't clump, and stick to skin better.
This ingredient is typically used at low levels (up to 2.5% in eyeshadow and 1% in lipstick).
Learn more about TriethoxycaprylylsilaneWater. 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
