What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Titanium Dioxide 5.6%
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Trehalose
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium PCA
Humectant
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Glutathione
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Coffea Arabica Leaf/Seed Extract
MaskingRubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentTitanium Dioxide 5.6%, Water, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Aluminum Hydroxide, Aminomethyl Propanol, Niacinamide, Benzyl Alcohol, Trehalose, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium PCA, Triethyl Citrate, Panthenol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Allantoin, Glutathione, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Coffea Arabica Leaf/Seed Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene
Skin Conditioning
Polyester-8
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientStearic Acid
Cleansing
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Isohexadecane
EmollientBisabolol
Antioxidant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polysilicone-11
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
Emulsifying
Thioctic Acid
Antioxidant
Astaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Polyester-8, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Isohexadecane, Bisabolol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Polysilicone-11, Polysorbate 60, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Thioctic Acid, Astaxanthin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aluminum Hydroxide is a form of aluminum. It can be naturally found in nature as the mineral gibbsite. In cosmetics, Aluminum Hydroxide is used as a colorant, pH adjuster, and absorbent.
As a colorant, Aluminum Hydroxide may add opacity, or reduce the transparency. Aluminum hydroxide is contains both basic and acidic properties.
According to manufacturers, this ingredient is an emollient and humectant. This means it helps hydrate the skin.
In medicine, this ingredient is used to help relieve heartburn and help heal ulcers.
There is currently no credible scientific evidence linking aluminum hydroxide in cosmetics to increased cancer risk.
Major health organizations allow the use of aluminum hydroxide in personal care products and have not flagged it as a carcinogenic risk at typical usage levels.
Learn more about Aluminum HydroxideBenzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholCyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneGlycerin (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 GlycerinPolyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone is a type of silicone.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
