What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 3.2%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 6%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Magnesium Sulfate
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polybutene
Methylparaben
Preservative
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Acrylonitrile/Methyl Methacrylate/Vinylidene Chloride Copolymer
Butylparaben
Masking
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Isobutane
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Iron Oxides
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 3.2%, Octocrylene 6%, Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Magnesium Sulfate, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Phenoxyethanol, Polybutene, Methylparaben, Alcohol Denat., Chlorphenesin, Acrylonitrile/Methyl Methacrylate/Vinylidene Chloride Copolymer, Butylparaben, Aluminum Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Isobutane, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Tocopherol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Talc
Abrasive
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Tribehenin
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantBis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Silica Silylate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingSalvia Officinalis Oil
Masking
Propylene Carbonate
SolventSorbic Acid
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Palmaria Palmata Extract
Skin ProtectingIron Oxides
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Talc, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Tribehenin, Dipropylene Glycol, Bis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Silica Silylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Gluconolactone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Propylene Carbonate, Sorbic Acid, Glycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Silica, Calcium Gluconate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Iron Oxides, CI 77891, Mica
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cyclopentasiloxane, or D5, is a silicone used to improve texture of products and trap moisture.
D5 is considered lightweight and volatile. Volatile means it evaporates quickly after application. Once evaporated, D5 leaves a thin barrier that helps keep skin hydrated.
It is also an emollient. Emollients help soften the skin and prevent water loss. Silicones create a silky texture in products. D5 helps other ingredients become more spreadable.
Studies show D5 is safe to use in skincare products. We recommend speaking with a skincare professional if you have concerns.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneDimethicone 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 DimethiconeDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolDisteardimonium Hectorite comes from the clay mineral named hectorite. It is used to add thickness to a product.
It can also help stabilize a product by helping to disperse other ingredients.
Hectorite is a rare, white clay mineral.
Learn more about Disteardimonium HectoriteGlycerin (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 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.
Water. 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 WaterThis 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
