What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Alumina
Abrasive
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Magnesium Sulfate
Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingParaffin
Perfuming
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingMicrocrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Silica Silylate
Emollient
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glycerin, Propanediol, Propylene Glycol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Alumina, Phenoxyethanol, Magnesium Sulfate, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Paraffin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Microcrystalline Wax, Caprylyl Glycol, Silica Silylate, Synthetic Wax, Caffeine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Tin Oxide, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Isododecane
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantAcrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Trimethyl Pentaphenyl Trisiloxane
Emollient
Sodium Myristoyl Glutamate
CleansingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPolysilicone-11
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Undecyl Dimethicone
Propylene Carbonate
SolventLecithin
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientHexadecene
SolventCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Citric Acid
Buffering
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Phenyl Trimethicone, Isododecane, Dimethicone, Methyl Trimethicone, Glycerin, Mica, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Trimethyl Pentaphenyl Trisiloxane, Sodium Myristoyl Glutamate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Polysilicone-11, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Caprylyl Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Undecyl Dimethicone, Propylene Carbonate, Lecithin, Sodium Benzoate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Hexadecene, Caffeine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Parfum, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tocopherol, Tin Oxide, Citric Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, 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 HydroxideCaffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Learn more about CaffeineCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCi 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.
Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 77891Disteardimonium 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 HectoriteGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneSynthetic Fluorphlogopite is the synthethic version of mica. It consists of fluorine, aluminum and silicate.
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite is used to add volume to products.
It is considered non-irritating on the skin.
Learn more about Synthetic FluorphlogopiteTin Oxide is an inorganic oxide used to add opacity and volume to a product. In nature, it is already found in mineral form. The main ore of tin is an opaque and shiny mineral called casseterite.
Tin Oxide helps remove translucency in a product, or make it more opaque. Besides adding opacity, tin oxide is used for bulking to add volume.
Tocopherol 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
