What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Isododecane
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol Cocoate
Emulsifying
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantCopernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Lysine
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Chloride
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, CI 77891, Octyldodecanol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Silica, Isododecane, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Paraffin, CI 77492, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Chloride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dimethiconol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol Cocoate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Cera Microcristallina, Stearic Acid, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Lysine, Magnesium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, CI 77491, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningCorn Starch Modified
AbsorbentDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Chloride
MaskingTri (Polyglyceryl-3/Lauryl) Hydrogenated Trilinoleate
EmulsifyingStearalkonium Bentonite
Gel Forming2,3-Butanediol
HumectantCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantPropylene Carbonate
SolventParfum
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Methicone
Emollient
Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Water, Corn Starch Modified, Dicaprylyl Ether, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Isododecane, Glycerin, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Silica, Sodium Chloride, Tri (Polyglyceryl-3/Lauryl) Hydrogenated Trilinoleate, Stearalkonium Bentonite, 2,3-Butanediol, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Mica, Propylene Carbonate, Parfum, Tocopherol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Sodium Benzoate, Chlorphenesin, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Propylene Glycol, Panthenol, Methicone, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, CI 77891, Iron Oxides
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzoic Acid is an organic acid that shows up in cosmetics as a preservative. It helps keep a product from spoiling by holding back the growth of yeast, mold, and some bacteria.
This ingredient also functions as a fragrance ingredient that helps mask the unpleasant scent of other ingredients.
The way it works is worth understanding; benzoic acid works when the formula is acidic. It is able to sneak into a microbe's cell and mess up how it functions to stop it from growing in an acidic product.
However, the acid switches to an inactive form and stops working if a product isn't acidic enough (above ~5 pH). This is why you'll often see it in low pH products or teamed up with other preservatives to cover the gap.
Safety wise, it's one of the better studied preservatives out there.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%.
A large international review found this ingredient had no effects on the human body and had low irritation potential.
Just so you know, real world use is usually much lower than the 5% ceiling (usually 1% of less).
The EU caps it at 2.5% in rinse-off products, 1.7% in oral care, and 0.5% in leave-on products.
One thing worth mentioning (it's nothing to worry about): some people get a little stinging or flushing where they apply it. This isn't a true allergy; it's a temporary and harmless reaction. This is the same kind of mild tingle you might notice from sorbic acid.
Learn more about Benzoic AcidCi 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 77891Glycerin (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 GlycerinIsododecane is a fragrance, emollient, and solvent.
As an emollient, it helps your skin stay soft and hydrated. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin.
Isododecane's role as a solvent makes it a great texture enhancer. It spreads smoothly on skin and does not leave a sticky feeling behind. Isododecane also helps prevent color transfer in makeup products.
Isododecane is not absorbed into skin.
The chemical name for this ingredient is 2,2,4,6,6-PENTAMETHYLHEPTANE.
Learn more about IsododecaneSilica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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
