What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientSorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Boron Nitride
Absorbent
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Magnesium Sulfate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPEG/PPG-15/15 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Magnesium Palmitate
Magnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Silica
Abrasive
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Water, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Isododecane, Propylene Glycol, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Boron Nitride, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Magnesium Sulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, PEG/PPG-15/15 Dimethicone, Magnesium Palmitate, Magnesium Stearate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Silica, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, CI 77891, Iron Oxides
Water
Skin ConditioningTetradecane
Perfuming
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Decyl Isostearate
Emollient
Isostearyl Isostearate
Emollient
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate
Emulsifying
Magnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingIsostearic Acid
Cleansing
Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Silica
Abrasive
Trisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Water, Tetradecane, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Propanediol, Decyl Isostearate, Isostearyl Isostearate, Lauroyl Lysine, Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate, Magnesium Stearate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Isostearic Acid, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Silica, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, 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.
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 77891Disteardimonium 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 HectoriteEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinMagnesium 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.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaWater. 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
