What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Salicylic Acid 1%
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycerin
HumectantSilica
AbrasivePropanediol
SolventIsododecane
EmollientTranexamic Acid
AstringentGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCapryloyl Glycine
CleansingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Caprylic Acid
CleansingCI 77288
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantSalicylic Acid 1%, Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Silica, Propanediol, Isododecane, Tranexamic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Tromethamine, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Phenoxyethanol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Capryloyl Glycine, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Disodium EDTA, Caprylic Acid, CI 77288, CI 77492
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantDiglycerin
HumectantIsododecane
EmollientIsodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentButylene Glycol
HumectantPolymethyl Methacrylate
Ptfe
Cetearyl Isononanoate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientDimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer
EmollientPolyacrylate-13
Cetyl Alcohol
EmollientParfum
MaskingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingPolyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin ConditioningPolyisobutene
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentLens Esculenta Seed Extract
Skin ProtectingO-Cymen-5-Ol
AntimicrobialSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeGlycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Alcohol, Glycerin, Diglycerin, Isododecane, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Butylene Glycol, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Ptfe, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Polyacrylate-13, Cetyl Alcohol, Parfum, Lauryl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Polyisobutene, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Lens Esculenta Seed Extract, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Phenoxyethanol, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, CI 42090
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken and improve the texture of products. Due to its properties, it can prevent water and oil ingredients from separating.
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 âaluminumâ 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 âaluminum overload.â
Learn more about Aluminum Starch OctenylsuccinateEthylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
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.
Learn more about IsododecanePhenoxyethanol 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.
Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skinâs lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water