What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Polybutene
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingPolymethyl Methacrylate
Sodium Chloride
MaskingTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantDimethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTrimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Magnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
PEG-8
HumectantSalicylic Acid
Masking
Isostearamidopropyl Ethyldimonium Ethosulfate
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Glycereth-26, Polybutene, Cera Microcristallina, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Sodium Chloride, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Mica, Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenyl Trimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Magnesium Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum, Butylene Glycol, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, PEG-8, Salicylic Acid, Isostearamidopropyl Ethyldimonium Ethosulfate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Titanium Dioxide, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingSilica
Abrasive
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPolyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientSteareth-20
CleansingLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
N-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Chrysin
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Glycerin, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Silica, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin, Aluminum Hydroxide, Steareth-20, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Sodium Benzoate, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Lactic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol, Sodium Citrate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Chrysin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Citric Acid, Biotin, 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.
This ingredient is a silicone-based emulsifer that helps the water and oil phases play nicely together.
It's pretty effective because one end of the molecule loves oil and the other one loves water.
Besides holding formulas together, it also leaves a silky and lightweight feel on skin without the greasiness. A manufacturer also claims it can help with the controlled release of active ingredients.
The CIR Expert Panel found this ingredient to not be sensitizing in concentrations up to 15% in human maximazation testing and dimethicone-based compounds were not comedogenic.
It has a high molecular weight well above 1,000 g/mol which means it limits meaningful skin penetration.
A 2019 study specifically tested this ingredient and found no observable Malassezia growth in its presence.
Learn more about Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 DimethiconeCi 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.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone created by modifying dimethicone with hydrocarbon side chains. Due to its large size, it does not penetrate skin. It is considered non-occlusive.
Dimethicone Crosspolymer is used to stabilize and thicken products. It also helps give products a silky feel.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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
