What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Sucrose Cocoate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium PCA
Humectant
Glyceryl Isostearate
Emollient
Alumina
Abrasive
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Hexyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Iron Oxides
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCamellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Glyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phytic Acid
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Sucrose Cocoate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium PCA, Glyceryl Isostearate, Alumina, Caprylyl Methicone, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Hexyl Dimethicone, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Chlorphenesin, Iron Oxides, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Panthenol, Phytic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientDiethylhexyl Carbonate
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientPolyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
Emulsifying
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingC13-15 Alkane
SolventSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Alumina
Abrasive
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingMagnesium Oxide
AbsorbentPropylene Carbonate
SolventZinc Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantBoron Nitride
Absorbent
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Iron Oxides
Water, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Isododecane, Diethylhexyl Carbonate, Isohexadecane, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Sodium Chloride, C13-15 Alkane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Squalane, Niacinamide, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Silica, Alumina, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Magnesium Oxide, Propylene Carbonate, Zinc Stearate, Boron Nitride, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alumina is another name for the compound aluminum oxide. It is a white powder used as a thickener, absorbent, and abrasive.
As an absorbent, alumina can give a mattifying effect. It is used in mineral sunscreens to help coat nano-sized filters, such as titanium dioxide. By increasing the size of the UV filters, these ingredients stay on the skin for a longer time. By coating small sized ingredients, alumina helps thicken a product.
Alumina may be used as an abrasive, or exfoliant.
Alumina is naturally occurring in the mineral corundum. Certain varieties of corundum create rubies and sapphires. Corundum is also the crystalline form of alumina.
Learn more about AluminaGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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 WaterThis ingredient is a combination of red, black, and yellow iron oxide pigments. This combination of colors is usually found in foundation, because it results in a "skin" color.
The EU typically uses CI numbers for colorants when applicable, such as CI 77489. In the US, iron oxides are regulated as color additives and "iron oxides" is the most commonly used name in US cosmetic practice.
A 2021 paper looked at skincare formulations containing iron oxides and found that they reduced transmission of blue light when measured optically. In simple terms, the pigment particles helped block or scatter part of the visible light spectrum in lab testing and the authors suggest this could translate into better protection against blue-light-related skin effects.
There is also clinical and experimental research showing that tinted products containing iron oxides can reduce visible light-induced pigmentation:
Please note, whether a product reduces visible or blue light depends on things like:
In the EU's CosIng database, iron oxides are only listed as a colorant. CosIng groups ingredients by their main cosmetic role, such as colorant, preservative, or UV filter.
Though studies say iron oxides can "attenuate blue light", they're describing an optical property and not an officially recognized cosmetic function.
So CosIng isn’t contradicting the research. It’s just classifying iron oxides by what they officially are: pigments that add color.
Learn more about Iron Oxides
