What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientTrimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Magnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Talc
Abrasive
Kaolin
Abrasive
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Aluminum Dimyristate
Emulsion StabilisingTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77288
Cosmetic ColorantCyclomethicone, Isododecane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Dimethicone, Magnesium Stearate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Talc, Kaolin, Water, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Silica, Aluminum Dimyristate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, CI 77499, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77288
Dimethicone
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Silica Dimethicone Silylate
Absorbent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate
EmollientGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientMethicone
Emollient
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
CI 77220
Cosmetic ColorantTrihydroxystearin
Skin Conditioning
Polysilicone-11
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Methylpropanediol
SolventTalc
Abrasive
Disodium EDTA
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Dimethicone, Water, Phenyl Trimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Silica Dimethicone Silylate, Butylene Glycol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Isododecane, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Methicone, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, CI 77220, Trihydroxystearin, Polysilicone-11, Potassium Sorbate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Methylpropanediol, Talc, Disodium EDTA, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, CI 77891, Iron Oxides
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate is a synthetic powder used as an absorbent, thickener, and anti-caking agent.
As an absorbent, it is great at mattifying skin by soaking up the oil. This is why you'll find it in a range of products from makeup to moisturizers.
This ingredient is considered a modified starch. Starch can also be found naturally in plants.
One study from 1991 found that 5% of this ingredient enhanced titanium dioxide SPF by as much as 40%. The study found 1% titanium dioxide had a 5.6 SPF and adding 5% of aluminum starch octenylsuccinate boosted it to an SPF of 8.1
Although “aluminum” in an ingredient name can raise red flags for some consumers, the form and usage context matter significantly. For typical topical applications, there is no substantial evidence of health risks - such as cancer, neurotoxicity, or systemic “aluminum overload.”
Learn more about Aluminum Starch OctenylsuccinateDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone created by modifying dimethicone with hydrocarbon side chains. Due to its large size, it does not penetrate skin. It is considered non-occlusive.
Dimethicone Crosspolymer is used to stabilize and thicken products. It also helps give products a silky feel.
Disodium 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 GlycerinIsododecane is a fragrance, emollient, and solvent.
As an emollient, it helps your skin stay soft and hydrated. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin.
Isododecane's role as a solvent makes it a great texture enhancer. It spreads smoothly on skin and does not leave a sticky feeling behind. Isododecane also helps prevent color transfer in makeup products.
Isododecane is not absorbed into skin.
The chemical name for this ingredient is 2,2,4,6,6-PENTAMETHYLHEPTANE.
Learn more about IsododecaneChances 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 ChlorideTalc is a clay mineral. It helps absorb moisture and improve the texture of products. Like other types of clay, Talc can have a slight exfoliating effect on skin. Talc can be added to increase the volume of products.
Some Baby powders are made by combining talc with corn starch. The word "talc" comes from Latin and originates from Arabic. Talc is a mineral commonly found throughout the world.
If you have any concerns about using talc, we recommend checking out the FDA's official page.
Learn more about TalcThis 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
