What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAcrylates Copolymer
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Cera Alba
Emollient
PEG-15 Glyceryl Stearate
Emulsifying
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Kaolin
Abrasive
Pullulan
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Bentonite
Absorbent
Rayon
Dimethicone
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sucrose Distearate
Emollient
Vp/Va Copolymer
Nylon-6
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Silica
Abrasive
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77266
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Acrylates Copolymer, Alcohol Denat., Cera Alba, PEG-15 Glyceryl Stearate, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Butylene Glycol, Kaolin, Pullulan, Behenyl Alcohol, Bentonite, Rayon, Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Sucrose Distearate, Vp/Va Copolymer, Nylon-6, Aminomethyl Propanol, Glycerin, Tocopherol, Silica, Panthenol, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77499, CI 77266
Water
Skin ConditioningStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Acrylates Copolymer
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ceteth-10 Phosphate
CleansingDicetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Microcrystalline Wax, Cetearyl Alcohol, Acrylates Copolymer, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Propanediol, Synthetic Wax, Tocopherol, Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Dicetyl Phosphate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, CI 77499
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates Copolymer is used as a film-forming agent and texture enhancer.
After applied, Acrylates Copolymer forms a thin film cover that helps skin feel more soft. It can help sunscreens become more water-resistant.
It is also used to make a product more thick.
Learn more about Acrylates CopolymerCi 77499 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It is created from mixing red and black iron oxides. This helps give shades of darkness to a product.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
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 PhenoxyethanolTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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 Water
