e.l.f. cosmetics Sheer For It Blush Tint Versus Victoria Beckham Beauty Colour Wash Blush Water Tint
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, CI 15985, CI 17200, CI 42090, CI 16035
Water
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Fruit Juice
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Sea Water
HumectantTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Maltooligosyl Glucoside
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGalactoarabinan
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingPolyglyceryl-10 Isostearate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
HumectantCitric Acid
Buffering
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice, Glycerin, Propanediol, Sea Water, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Maltooligosyl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xanthan Gum, Galactoarabinan, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-10 Isostearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Citric Acid, CI 14700, CI 15985, CI 42090, CI 17200
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCi 15985 is a dye made from petroleum. It is synthetically created and approved by the FDA for use in foods and cosmetics.
The color of this dye is orange/yellow.
This ingredient can be found in makeup, sun care, and skincare.
Learn more about CI 15985CI 17200 is a synthetic, water-soluble, reddish-pink dye. It is used purely as a cosmetic colorant.
In the US, the FDA permits this ingredient in cosmetics but it is not approved for use around the eyes while the EU allows this to be used in all cosmetic products.
The FDA requires batch-to-batch certification for this ingredient that is held to a pretty rigorous standard. That means the CI 17200 in your cosmetics has been tested and approved before it ever reaches you.
Contact allergy to cosmetic-grade dyes used at low concentrations are uncommon but has been documented before.
This ingredient also goes by the name D&C RED NO. 33.
CI 17200 has a comedogenic rating of 1 and an irritancy rating of 2 on a scale of 0-5. This is based on peer-reviewed research from the man who invented the comedogenic scale.
A 1 on the comedogenic scale is about as low as it gets without being a flat zero, and makes sense for CI 17200.
It's a water-soluble dye used at very small concentrations (typically 0.001-0.1%), so it dissolves into the water phase of a formula rather than sitting on your skin the way an oil or wax would.
The irritancy rating of 2 reflects that, like most synthetic dyes, there's a small possibility of mild irritation ( particularly for people with existing dye sensitivities).
For the vast majority of people, it's a non-issue at typical use levels.
It's also worth keeping in mind that comedogenic and irritancy ratings are tested on individual ingredients, not finished formulas. The final product's formulation, concentration, and other ingredients all play a role in how something actually behaves on your skin.
Just so you know, the FDA ban on Red Dye No. 3 refers to CI 45430, not this ingredient. CI 45430 and CI 17200 are different chemical compounds with distinct safety and regulatory histories.
It's also worth noting that Red No. 3 (CI 45430) was already banned from cosmetics back in 1990, so the 2025 action just extended the ban to food and oral drugs. CI 17200 was never part of any of this.
Learn more about CI 17200Ci 42090 is a synthetic dye created from petroleum. It is used to give a bright blue color to cosmetics, medicine, and food.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
