What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Dimethicone
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningPolysilicone-11
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSigesbeckia Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningSalvia Sclarea Extract
AntiseborrhoeicSea Whip Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Pantethine
EmollientHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Algae Extract
EmollientPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientDi-C12-18 Alkyl Dimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract
Skin ConditioningNordihydroguaiaretic Acid
Antioxidant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
Abrasive
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingAscorbyl Tocopheryl Maleate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantDimethicone, Water, Polysilicone-11, Alcohol Denat., Acetyl Glucosamine, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Salvia Sclarea Extract, Sea Whip Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Caffeine, Pantethine, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone, Algae Extract, Polysorbate 20, Salicylic Acid, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Lecithin, Isohexadecane, Di-C12-18 Alkyl Dimonium Chloride, Polysorbate 80, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Coconut Acid, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Silica, Citric Acid, Hexylene Glycol, Ascorbyl Tocopheryl Maleate, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891, Iron Oxides, Mica
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Silica
Abrasive
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isododecane
EmollientTalc
Abrasive
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer
Emollient
Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEpilobium Fleischeri Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Limonene
Perfuming
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Citral
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Leptospermum Petersonii Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Silica, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isododecane, Talc, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Epilobium Fleischeri Extract, Disodium EDTA, Limonene, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Citral, Citronellol, Leptospermum Petersonii Oil, Tocopherol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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.
Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaWater. 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
