What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingTrimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantVp/Hexadecene Copolymer
Tridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeQuaternium-18 Bentonite
Magnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantVinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantSorbitan Sesquioleate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
EmulsifyingMethicone
EmollientTribehenin
EmollientParfum
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Glutathione
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3
Skin ProtectingZinc PCA
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCaesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning2,3-Butanediol
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantOpuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningKappaphycus Alvarezii Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCamellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingHamamelis Virginiana Extract
AntiseborrhoeicDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientResveratrol
AntioxidantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantOligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningDecapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Isododecane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Glycerin, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Quaternium-18 Bentonite, Magnesium Stearate, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Mica, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Methicone, Tribehenin, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Glutathione, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Zinc PCA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract, Ceramide NP, 2,3-Butanediol, Butylene Glycol, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Niacinamide, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Glyceryl Stearate, Polysorbate 20, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Resveratrol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Oligopeptide-1, Decapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ceramide EOP, CI 77891, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantIsododecane
EmollientLauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientTribehenin
EmollientMagnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantTrimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientSodium Chloride
MaskingDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Dimethicone Ethoxy Glucoside
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientQuaternium-90 Bentonite
Tocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPropylene Carbonate
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningArbutin
AntioxidantNiacinamide
SmoothingOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentDextrin
AbsorbentButylene Glycol
HumectantPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantGlycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantRosa Damascena Flower Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Isododecane, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Tribehenin, Magnesium Stearate, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Sodium Chloride, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Dimethicone Ethoxy Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Quaternium-90 Bentonite, Tocopheryl Acetate, Propylene Carbonate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Water, Arbutin, Niacinamide, Oryza Sativa Extract, Dextrin, Butylene Glycol, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Tocopherol, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, CI 77891, 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.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesÂ
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCi 77491 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a red/pink hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created Ci 77491 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77491CI 77492 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a yellow hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created CI 77492 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77492Ci 77499 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It is created from mixing red and black iron oxides. This helps give shades of darkness to a product.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
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 77891Cyclohexasiloxane is a type of silicone more commonly known as D6. It is an emollient and solvent.
Cyclohexasiloxane is used to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. When applied to the skin, Cyclohexasiloxane evaporates and leaves behind a silky feel.
As an emollient, it can help the skin feel soft and hydrated. It is also used to reduce frizz in hair products.
Learn more about CyclohexasiloxaneCyclopentasiloxane (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 CyclopentasiloxaneEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneIsododecane 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 IsododecaneIsononyl Isononanoate is a synthetic skin-conditioner and texture enhancer. It is created from nonanoic acid, a fatty acid found in cocoa and lavender oil.
As an emollient, Isononyl Isononanoate helps keep your skin soft and smooth. This is because emollients create a barrier on the skin to trap moisture in.
Isononyl Isononanoate helps give products a velvet feel and improves spreadability.
Learn more about Isononyl IsononanoateMagnesium 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.
Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolChances 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 ChlorideTocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateTribehenin is the triglyceride of glycerin and behenic acid. It is an emollient that helps soften and condition skin.
Safety-wise, this is a well-vetted ingredient. Repeated-insult patch tests of 0.38% tribehenin did not trigger sensitization.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because behenic acid falls into the chain-length range that Malassezia yeasts can feed on.
Learn more about TribeheninThis 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