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
Water, 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
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Dipentaerythrityl Hexa C5-9 Acid Esters
Skin ConditioningNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Ozokerite
Emulsion StabilisingTalc
Abrasive
Bis-Behenyl/Isostearyl/Phytosteryl Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate
EmollientMicrocrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Ceresin
Emulsion StabilisingPhytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Hexyl Laurate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, Polyethylene, Dipentaerythrityl Hexa C5-9 Acid Esters, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Ozokerite, Talc, Bis-Behenyl/Isostearyl/Phytosteryl Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Microcrystalline Wax, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Ceresin, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Hexyl Laurate, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Iron Oxides, 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 silicone-based emulsifer that helps the water and oil phases play nicely together.
It's pretty 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 DimethiconeDimethicone 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 DimethiconeMica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and color in cosmetics. It can also help improve the texture of a product or give it an opaque, white/silver color.
Serecite is the name for very fine but ragged grains of mica.
This ingredient is often coated with metal oxides like titanium dioxide. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.
Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.
Learn more about MicaPhenoxyethanol 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.
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate is a plant-derived, PEG-free emulsifier.
It's made by hooking isostearic acid onto a chain of glycerin units to give it a water-loving "head" and oil-loving "tail". This allows it to keep the oil and water mixed in a formula.
The highest reported concentration is about 24% in eye makeup but most suppliers recommend a level below 10%.
It has a clean track record for safety and found to be non-irritating.
Because it is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, Malassezia can potentially metabolize it (it sits in the C11-24 range that Malassezia likes). Therefore, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-4 IsostearateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
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.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolThis 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
