What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Talc
Abrasive
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantSilica
Abrasive
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Nylon-12
Magnesium Myristate
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Kaolin
Abrasive
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Squalane
Emollient
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Talc
Abrasive
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantZinc Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolymethyl Methacrylate
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientHydrogen Dimethicone
Parfum
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Cholesterol
Emollient
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantTalc, Zea Mays Starch, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Zinc Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Diisostearyl Malate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Parfum, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Water, Centella Asiatica Extract, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cholesterol, CI 77492, CI 77491, 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.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideDiisostearyl Malate is an emollient and most often used in lip products. It comes from isostearyl alcohol, a fatty acid, and malic acid, an AHA.
As an emollient, Diisostearyl Malate helps create a thin film on your skin to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin soft and smooth.
Mica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and color in cosmetics. It can also help improve the texture of a product or give it an opaque, white/silver color.
Serecite is the name for very fine but ragged grains of mica.
This ingredient is often coated with metal oxides like titanium dioxide. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.
Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.
Learn more about MicaPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolTalc is a clay mineral. It helps absorb moisture and improve the texture of products. Like other types of clay, Talc can have a slight exfoliating effect on skin. Talc can be added to increase the volume of products.
Some Baby powders are made by combining talc with corn starch. The word "talc" comes from Latin and originates from Arabic. Talc is a mineral commonly found throughout the world.
If you have any concerns about using talc, we recommend checking out the FDA's official page.
Learn more about TalcTocopherol 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 Tocopherol
