What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
No benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Talc
Abrasive
Boron Nitride
Absorbent
Zinc Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantLauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantDimethicone
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Silica
Abrasive
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCI 75470
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantPolymethylsilsesquioxane
CI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantEthylhexyl Isononanoate
EmollientTrimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Cetyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Stearalkonium Hectorite
Gel FormingPropylene Carbonate
SolventCI 77000
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77400
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantAluminum Calcium Sodium Silicate
CI 77163
Cosmetic Colorant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Calcium Sodium Borosilicate
Magnesium Myristate
Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Talc, Boron Nitride, Zinc Stearate, Lauroyl Lysine, Magnesium Stearate, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethiconol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, CI 75470, Iron Oxides, Mica, CI 77891, CI 42090, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, CI 16035, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetyl Dimethicone, Tin Oxide, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, CI 77000, CI 77400, CI 77491, Aluminum Calcium Sodium Silicate, CI 77163, Titanium Dioxide, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Magnesium Myristate, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientCI 77220
Cosmetic ColorantSynthetic Wax
Abrasive
Polybutene
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Magnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrogen Dimethicone
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 75470
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77007
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
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 GlycolCi 16035 is a synthetic dark-red dye. This dye is created from an acid called Allura red AC, an azo dye.
Azo dyes need to be purified thoroughly before use. This makes them more stable and longer lasting.
This dye is commonly used in foods, approved by both the FDA and EFSA.
Learn more about CI 16035Ci 42090 is a synthetic dye created from petroleum. It is used to give a bright blue color to cosmetics, medicine, and food.
Ci 75470 is a bright-red pigment. It is AKA carmine.
Carmine is derived from insects such as the cochineal beetle. This ingredient has been used as a natural dye for over 2000 years.
Ci 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 77891Ethylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinMagnesium Stearate is a salt that is 2 parts stearic acid and 1 part magnesium.
It is a white powder that can be used to add bulk and color to products by binding to oil ingredients.
Mica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and color in cosmetics. It can also help improve the texture of a product or give it an opaque, white/silver color.
Serecite is the name for very fine but ragged grains of mica.
This ingredient is often coated with metal oxides like titanium dioxide. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.
Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.
Learn more about MicaPhenoxyethanol 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.
Tin Oxide is an inorganic oxide used to add opacity and volume to a product. In nature, it is already found in mineral form. The main ore of tin is an opaque and shiny mineral called casseterite.
Tin Oxide helps remove translucency in a product, or make it more opaque. Besides adding opacity, tin oxide is used for bulking to add volume.
This 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
