What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientMica
Cosmetic ColorantGlycerin
HumectantPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningTrimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingSodium Chloride
MaskingPEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingAmmonium Acrylates Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativePolybutene
Tocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningMethicone
EmollientCocos Nucifera Fruit Juice
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Mica, Glycerin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Niacinamide, Sodium Chloride, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Ammonium Acrylates Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Polybutene, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Methicone, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialTrimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Skin ConditioningDiisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientHdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Bis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone
EmollientSilica
AbrasiveDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeMagnesium Sulfate
Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSilica Silylate
EmollientDipentaerythrityl Tetrahydroxystearate/Tetraisostearate
Skin ConditioningAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantEmpetrum Nigrum Fruit Juice
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77007
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77288
Cosmetic ColorantCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningWater, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Alcohol Denat., Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Butylene Glycol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Bis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone, Silica, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Phenoxyethanol, Magnesium Sulfate, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Silica Silylate, Dipentaerythrityl Tetrahydroxystearate/Tetraisostearate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Glycerin, Empetrum Nigrum Fruit Juice, Potassium Sorbate, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77891, CI 77007, CI 77288, Ceramide AP
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolThis silicone is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on the skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
It is not soluble in water and helps increase water-resistance in products.
According to a manufacturer, it can blend seamlessly with silicone oils, such as Cyclopentasiloxane.
Learn more about TrimethylsiloxysilicateWater. 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