What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Polypropylsilsesquioxane
Silica Silylate
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Water
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingTribehenin
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPropylene Carbonate
SolventCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Iron Oxides
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCyclopentasiloxane, Water, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Dimethicone, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Polypropylsilsesquioxane, Silica Silylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice, Cocos Nucifera Water, Potassium Sorbate, Polysorbate 20, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Tribehenin, Sodium Chloride, Propylene Carbonate, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Iron Oxides, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Silica
Abrasive
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Polypropylsilsesquioxane
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, CI 77891, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Glycerin, Mica, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Silica, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Aluminum Hydroxide, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Stearic Acid, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Polypropylsilsesquioxane, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolThis ingredient is a silicone-based emulsifer that helps the water and oil phases play nicely together. It's so 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 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 77891Cyclopentasiloxane, or D5, is a silicone used to improve texture of products and trap moisture.
D5 is considered lightweight and volatile. Volatile means it evaporates quickly after application. Once evaporated, D5 leaves a thin barrier that helps keep skin hydrated.
It is also an emollient. Emollients help soften the skin and prevent water loss. Silicones create a silky texture in products. D5 helps other ingredients become more spreadable.
Studies show D5 is safe to use in skincare products. We recommend speaking with a skincare professional if you have concerns.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneDisteardimonium Hectorite comes from the clay mineral named hectorite. It is used to add thickness to a product.
It can also help stabilize a product by helping to disperse other ingredients.
Hectorite is a rare, white clay mineral.
Learn more about Disteardimonium HectoriteGlycerin (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.
Polypropylsilsesquioxane is a synthetic silicone resin used to create a flexible, water-resistant layer on the skin or hair.
This helps improve the wear and transfer resistance in products like foundations, sunscreens, and colored makeup without feeling greasy.
Chances 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 ChlorideSodium 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 Water
