What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Undecane
EmollientPolyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Tapioca Starch
Glycerin
Humectant
Tridecane
Perfuming
Magnesium Sulfate
Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Biosaccharide Gum-4
Skin Conditioning
Alumina
Abrasive
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Isostearate
Emollient
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Lecithin
Emollient
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingIsopropyl Titanium Triisostearate
Emollient
Propylene Carbonate
SolventIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientStearalkonium Hectorite
Gel FormingIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Propanediol
Solvent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Iron Oxides
Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Undecane, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Tapioca Starch, Glycerin, Tridecane, Magnesium Sulfate, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Butylene Glycol, Bisabolol, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Alumina, Stearic Acid, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Glyceryl Isostearate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Lecithin, Isostearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Propylene Carbonate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Isopropyl Myristate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Propanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Iron Oxides
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Bis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Tribehenin
Emollient
Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEthyl Menthane Carboxamide
TonicPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Carbonate
SolventDipropylene Glycol
HumectantTin Oxide
Abrasive
Rosa Gallica Flower Extract
AstringentSorbitol
Humectant
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Dimethicone, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Bis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone, Isododecane, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Sodium Chloride, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tribehenin, Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Mica, CI 77891, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ethyl Menthane Carboxamide, Propylene Glycol, Propylene Carbonate, Dipropylene Glycol, Tin Oxide, Rosa Gallica Flower Extract, Sorbitol, CI 19140, CI 14700, Tocopherol
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 TriglycerideDisteardimonium 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
This ingredient is a solvent. It helps dissolve active ingredients and alter the texture of products.
Propylene Carbonate is commonly used in makeup and with clay, such as montmorillonite or bentonite.
Studies show this ingredient to be safe for cosmetics. When it is undiluted, it can cause skin irritation. (It is always diluted in skincare and makeup). This ingredient is water-soluble.
Propylene Carbonate is created from propylene glycol and carbonic acid.
Learn more about Propylene CarbonateTocopherol 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
