What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Didecene
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantIsoamyl Laurate
Emollient
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Styrene/Isoprene Copolymer
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPolyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingSynthetic Sapphire
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propylene Carbonate
SolventTocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
CI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77742
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Hydrogenated Didecene, Isododecane, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Squalane, Mica, Isoamyl Laurate, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Styrene/Isoprene Copolymer, Sodium Chloride, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Synthetic Sapphire, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propylene Carbonate, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Aluminum Hydroxide, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, CI 77891, Iron Oxides, CI 16035, CI 77742
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
Emulsifying
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Phenylisopropyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hoya Lacunosa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
Emollient
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Diamond Powder
Abrasive
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingSodium Chloride
MaskingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Alumina
Abrasive
Magnesium Oxide
AbsorbentCitric Acid
Buffering
Iron Oxides
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Triethylhexanoin, Glycerin, Phenylisopropyl Dimethicone, Silica, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Phenoxyethanol, Hoya Lacunosa Flower Extract, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Diamond Powder, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Sodium Chloride, Alcohol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tropolone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Alumina, Magnesium Oxide, Citric Acid, Iron Oxides, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideThis ingredient is a silicone-based emulsifer that helps the water and oil phases play nicely together. It's so effective because one end of the molecule loves oil and the other one loves water.
Besides holding formulas together, it also leaves a silky and lightweight feel on skin without the greasiness. A manufacturer also claims it can help with the controlled release of active ingredients.
The CIR Expert Panel found this ingredient to not be sensitizing in concentrations up to 15% in human maximazation testing and dimethicone-based compounds were not comedogenic.
It has a high molecular weight well above 1,000 g/mol which means it limits meaningful skin penetration.
A 2019 study specifically tested this ingredient and found no observable Malassezia growth in its presence.
Learn more about Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 DimethiconeDisteardimonium 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 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 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.
Polymethylsilsesquioxane is a silicone used as a film forming agent.
When applied to the skin, this ingredient creates an invisible film on the surface. This film still allows oxygen to pass through, but prevents moisture from escaping. This can help condition and hydrate the skin. It also leaves a silky feel when applied.
Polymethylsilsesquioxane has not been shown to clog pores. It has been deemed safe to use up to 55%, but most cosmetics use much less.
If you have concerns about using this ingredient, we recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about PolymethylsilsesquioxaneChances 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 ChlorideTriethoxycaprylylsilane is a silicon-based surface modifier that makes sunscreens feel silky and makeup stay put.
Its main job is to coat mineral particles like titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and color pigments in a thin, oily layer so they spread smoothly, don't clump, and stick to skin better.
This ingredient is typically used at low levels (up to 2.5% in eyeshadow and 1% in lipstick).
Learn more about TriethoxycaprylylsilaneWater. 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
