Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation Versus La Mer Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 20
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Petrolatum
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Urea
Buffering
Lanolin Alcohol
Emollient
Triethanolamine
BufferingHordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seedcake
Abrasive
Propylene Glycol Dicaprate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Urea, Lanolin Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 15985, CI 19140, CI 17200
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%
UV Absorber
Titanium Dioxide 1.9%
Cosmetic Colorant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Polysilicone-11
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientSilica
Abrasive
Algae Extract
EmollientSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Medicago Sativa Seed Powder
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seedcake
Abrasive
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal
Abrasive
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCopper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantMagnesium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Succinate
Antioxidant
Niacin
SmoothingSesamum Indicum Seed Powder
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract
Cleansing
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Hordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientMolasses Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningGelidium Cartilagineum Extract
Skin ProtectingCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces Lysate Extract
Humectant
Silybum Marianum Extract
Skin Conditioning
Whey Protein
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingCodium Tomentosum Extract
Skin ProtectingSucrose
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Eryngium Maritimum Extract
TonicLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Glycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningTourmaline
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hexyl Laurate
Emollient
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingC12-16 Alcohols
EmollientMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Trehalose
Humectant
Faex Extract
Skin ConditioningDimethicone Silylate
Propylene Glycol Diethylhexanoate
EmollientYeast Polysaccharides
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Methicone
Emollient
Propylene Glycol Dicaprate
EmollientTocopheryl Linoleate/Oleate
Antioxidant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Parfum
Masking
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%, Titanium Dioxide 1.9%, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane, Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Polysilicone-11, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Silica, Algae Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Medicago Sativa Seed Powder, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Sodium Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Calcium Gluconate, Magnesium Gluconate, Zinc Gluconate, Tocopheryl Succinate, Niacin, Sesamum Indicum Seed Powder, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Molasses Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Gelidium Cartilagineum Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Silybum Marianum Extract, Whey Protein, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Codium Tomentosum Extract, Sucrose, Glycerin, Cholesterol, Eryngium Maritimum Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Glycine Soja Protein, Acetyl Glucosamine, Caffeine, Sorbitol, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Tourmaline, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hexyl Laurate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, C12-16 Alcohols, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Trehalose, Faex Extract, Dimethicone Silylate, Propylene Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Yeast Polysaccharides, Caprylyl Glycol, Triethyl Citrate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Methicone, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Tocopheryl Linoleate/Oleate, Sodium Chloride, Aluminum Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Parfum, Alcohol Denat., Disodium EDTA, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, CI 77891, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499
Alternatives
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 extract comes from cucumber. Cucumbers are mostly made up of water (95%), and the other 5% is composed of: vitamin C, caffeic acid, fatty acids, amino acids, and other minerals.
Cucumbers have anti-inflammatory, barrier repair, and hydrating properties.
They contain shikimate dehydrigenase, an enzyme shown to help reduce inflammation and soothe the skin.
The amino acids found in cucumbers help nourish our skin's natural acid mantle (it's an important part of our skin barrier). This slightly acidic film acts as a barrier to protect us from bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants.
Unless you have an allergy to cucumbers, this is generally a non-irritating ingredient.
Fun fact: Cucumis Sativus is native to South Asia and can now be found on every continent.
Learn more about Cucumis Sativus Fruit ExtractGlycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seedcake is an exfoliant.
Hordeum Vulgare Extract is an extract of barley, the same grain used in beer and bread.
In skincare, it is a skin conditioning and hydrating agent. This ingredient contains polyphenols, vitamin E, and trace minerals like zinc, copper, and selenium that help neutralize free radicals behind oxidative skin stress.
Lab studies on human skin cells show it can support the skin barrier, boost cell survival, and speed repair after UV exposure.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has reviewed 16 barley-derived ingredients and concluded they're safe as used with the highest reported use concentration being 1.5% (in leave-on body/hand products).
Patch testing has also found it not to be a skin irritant or sensitizer at cosmetic levels.
However, barley is a recognized food allergen so people with a known barley/grain allergy should approach it cautiously.
Note: This ingredient is not gluten-free for those avoiding gluten for skin-contact reasons.
Learn more about Hordeum Vulgare ExtractPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolPropylene Glycol Dicaprate is an emollient and emulsifier. It is created from a mixture of fatty acids.
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil is the cold-pressed oil from sesame seeds.
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent made up of roughly 82-85% unsaturated fatty acids, mostly linoleic (~41%) and oleic acid (~39%).
This pairing gives it barrier-supporting and moisturizing properties. Linoleic acid, an essential omega-6 fatty acid, can be incorporated into complex skin lipids. Topical application has shown barrier repair, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing effects in cell and animal studies.
Beyond fatty acids, sesame oil brings something more distinctive to the table:
It contains natural antioxidants sesamol, sesamolin, and gamma-tocopherol. These also give the oil notably high oxidative stability.
One of the oil's key lignans, sesamin, has also demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity in preclinical models.
A 2023 clinical study found that a single application of sesame seed oil to the forearms of 35 healthy women improved stratum corneum hydration (though it didn't outperform raspberry seed oil).
The comedogenic rating of 1-3 depends on the type of sesame oil; unrefined carries a rating of 3 while refined sesame oil drops to a 1.
This ingredient may not be safe for fungal acne as it contains fatty acids that can feed Malassezia.
Learn more about Sesamum Indicum Seed OilSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic Acid
