What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Styrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer
Cellulose
AbsorbentPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Coco-Glucoside
CleansingPoloxamer 407
EmulsifyingPhenylpropanol
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Laureth-12 Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
BHT
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
CI 77266
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Methylpropanediol, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Styrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Cellulose, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Coco-Glucoside, Poloxamer 407, Phenylpropanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Laureth-12 Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, BHT, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, CI 77266
Water
Skin ConditioningStyrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer
CI 77266
Cosmetic ColorantMethylpropanediol
SolventStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Acrylates Copolymer
Poloxamer 407
EmulsifyingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingPEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBHT
Antioxidant
Octadecyl Di-T-Butyl-4-Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Water, Styrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, CI 77266, Methylpropanediol, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Alcohol Denat., Acrylates Copolymer, Poloxamer 407, Coco-Glucoside, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, BHT, Octadecyl Di-T-Butyl-4-Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Phenoxyethanol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCoco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideMethylpropanediol is a synthetic solvent and humectant.
As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients, helping to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. This ingredient has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties which makes it a preservative booster.
Methylpropanediol is able to add a bit of moisture to the skin. It also helps other ingredients be better absorbed into the skin, such as salicylic acid.
Learn more about MethylpropanediolPhenoxyethanol 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.
We don't have a description for Poloxamer 407 yet.
This ingredient is a preservative with antimicrobial properties. It is the sodium salt of dehydroacetic acid.
It is especially effective at preventing bacterial and fungal growth in low concentrations.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is a sulfate with surfactant properties.
The surfactant property make it a great foam creator and cleansing agent. Surfactants help bind ingredients that normally do not mix.
Some studies have shown skin irritation due to prolonged SLS use.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a milder version of SLS.
Learn more about Sodium Lauryl SulfateWe don't have a description for Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer yet.
We don't have a description for Styrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer yet.
Water. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterCI 77266 is a high-purity pigment used to create an intense black color in cosmetics. It is made up of fine particles of pure carbon. This ingredient is also often listed as Carbon Black in ingredient lists.
You'll likely find this ingredient in mascaras, eyeliners, brow products, and eye shadow.
In the US, this ingredient can only be used if it meets strict FDA specifications. Certain versions even require batch-by-batch certification after extensive safety evaluation.
In the European Union, this ingredient is permitted as a colorant and classified as a "nanomaterial" based on its particle size (meaning it requires deeper assessment).
The EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has reviewed nano-sized carbon black specifically and concluded that it does not pose a risk to human health when used in cosmetic products applied to healthy, intact skin and formulated to avoid inhalation.
Studies support this regulatory stance. Laboratory studies on nano-carbon black show potential for cytotoxicity and inflammatory effects in immune cells; it is important to highlight these findings are based on in vitro (not done on a living organism) testing or inhalation scenarios rather than normal topical cosmetic use.
Occupational studies involving industrial workers exposed to airborne carbon black have not shown a clear link between cumulative exposure and cancer risk. These findings are not directly applicable to cosmetics; cosmetic formulations bind pigments within creams, gels, and liquids that are not inhaled.
Overall, evidence shows that this ingredient is safe under regulatory guidelines and purity standards, especially when formulated to avoid airborne exposure.
Even with regulatory approval and a long history of use, some consumers might prefer to avoid ingredients that are petroleum-derived or that fall under the “nanomaterial” category.
Choosing whether to use CI 77266 isn’t necessarily about safety alone; it can also be about personal philosophy, comfort level with synthetic versus natural ingredients, and how much weight you place on ongoing research and regulatory oversight.
Makeup is highly individual, and personal preference plays an important role in deciding what feels right for you.
Learn more about CI 77266
