What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantTalc
Abrasive
Silica
Abrasive
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPolyisobutene
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Polyhydroxystearate
EmollientIsoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
Emulsifying
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantMagnesium Sulfate
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPropylene Carbonate
SolventSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Caproic Acid
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Octyldodecanol, Ethylhexyl Polyhydroxystearate, Isoamyl Laurate, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Mica, Magnesium Sulfate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, Sorbitan Olivate, Caproic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, CI 77491, CI 77891
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 77891Mica 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 MicaOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about Phenoxyethanol
