What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthyl Oleate
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantC13-15 Alkane
SolventC15-19 Alkane
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Squalane
Emollient
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantMethylpropanediol
SolventDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingVitis Vinifera Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
Cellulose Acetate
Magnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantPropylene Glycol Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Water, Ethyl Oleate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, CI 77891, C13-15 Alkane, C15-19 Alkane, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Glyceryl Behenate, Propanediol, Squalane, CI 77492, Methylpropanediol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Niacinamide, Sodium Chloride, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Water, Silica, Cellulose Acetate, Magnesium Stearate, Propylene Glycol Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, CI 77491, Iron Oxides
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Prunus Mume Flower
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Zinc Oxide 15%
Cosmetic Colorant
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
C15-19 Alkane
SolventIsocetyl Stearoyl Stearate
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Tribehenin
Emollient
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingViola Tricolor Extract
EmollientBisabolol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Iron Oxides
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantHyaluronic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Prunus Mume Flower, Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Zinc Oxide 15%, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, C15-19 Alkane, Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Jojoba Esters, Tribehenin, Beeswax, Glyceryl Stearate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Glycerin, Lactobacillus, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Viola Tricolor Extract, Bisabolol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Mica
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
C15-19 alkane is a mixture of alkanes. Alkanes are hydrocarbons with carbon atoms held together by single bonds.
It is a synthetically created solvent and emollient often used to replace silicones or mineral oil. As an emollient, C15-19 Alkane helps soften and soothe the skin. Emollients create a barrier to trap moisture inside.
You'll often see this ingredient used with mineral UV filters such as titanium dioxidide and zinc oxide. It helps these UV filter ingredients be more spreadable.
This ingredient is biodegradable. According to a manufacturer, it is also known as Hydrogenated Polyfarnesene.
Learn more about C15-19 AlkaneCoco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel.
Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture.
This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating.
Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%.
Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24).
Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne.
Learn more about Coco-Caprylate/CaprateGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
