What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Magnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantBoron Nitride
Absorbent
Dimethicone
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Bambusa Arundinacea Juice
Abrasive
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Iron Oxides
CI 77742
Cosmetic ColorantMica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Magnesium Stearate, Boron Nitride, Dimethicone, Silica, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Bambusa Arundinacea Juice, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Iron Oxides, CI 77742
Talc
Abrasive
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Magnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantTridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Kaolin
Abrasive
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientPiroctone Olamine
Preservative
Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
Iron Oxides
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 75470
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77007
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantTalc, Mica, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Magnesium Stearate, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Dimethicone, Silica, Kaolin, Phenoxyethanol, Aluminum Hydroxide, Piroctone Olamine, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Iron Oxides, CI 77891, CI 42090, Zea Mays Starch, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, CI 77491, CI 75470, CI 77007, CI 15850, CI 16035
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dimethicone 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 DimethiconeEthylhexyl Palmitate, also known as octyl palmitate, is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid. It is a fatty acid ester.
The fatty acid content of Ethylhexyl Palmitate makes it an emollient. Emollients help soften and hydrate your skin by trapping moisture within.
Ethylhexyl Palmitate is also used to help improve the texture of cosmetics. It helps other ingredient dissolve in products and help disperse ingredients more evenly.
You'll likely find this ingredient in sunscreen, as it is often used to mix UV-blocking ingredients such as avobenzone and ethylhexyl triazone.
It can also help stabilize the fragrances in a product as a fragrance fixative.
Ethylhexyl Palmitate can be used to substitute mineral oil.
Due to its high fatty acid content, it may not be fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl PalmitateMagnesium 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.
Mica 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.
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 SilicaThis 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
