What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Magnesium Sulfate
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Propylene Carbonate
SolventAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientSqualane
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAroma
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Magnesium Sulfate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Propylene Carbonate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Squalane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aroma, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientMethylparaben
Preservative
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
BHT
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Deoxyphytantriyl Palmitamide Mea
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Water, Titanium Dioxide, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol, Isostearic Acid, Isononyl Isononanoate, Niacinamide, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Triethylhexanoin, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Potassium Hydroxide, Aluminum Hydroxide, Methylparaben, Polysorbate 80, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Parfum, Sorbitan Oleate, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Squalane, Glycerin, BHT, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Deoxyphytantriyl Palmitamide Mea, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aluminum Hydroxide is a form of aluminum. It can be naturally found in nature as the mineral gibbsite. In cosmetics, Aluminum Hydroxide is used as a colorant, pH adjuster, and absorbent.
As a colorant, Aluminum Hydroxide may add opacity, or reduce the transparency. Aluminum hydroxide is contains both basic and acidic properties.
According to manufacturers, this ingredient is an emollient and humectant. This means it helps hydrate the skin.
In medicine, this ingredient is used to help relieve heartburn and help heal ulcers.
There is currently no credible scientific evidence linking aluminum hydroxide in cosmetics to increased cancer risk.
Major health organizations allow the use of aluminum hydroxide in personal care products and have not flagged it as a carcinogenic risk at typical usage levels.
Learn more about Aluminum HydroxideButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneTriethoxycaprylylsilane is a silicon-based surface modifier that makes sunscreens feel silky and makeup stay put.
Its main job is to coat mineral particles like titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and color pigments in a thin, oily layer so they spread smoothly, don't clump, and stick to skin better.
This ingredient is typically used at low levels (up to 2.5% in eyeshadow and 1% in lipstick).
Learn more about TriethoxycaprylylsilaneWater. 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
