What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
C30-45 Alkyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
C20-24 Alkyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
C20-24 Olefin
Skin ConditioningDiethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingRicinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Alumina
Abrasive
Limonene
Perfuming
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Linalool
Perfuming
Glycerin
Humectant
Zinc Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantBenzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCitric Acid
Buffering
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Iron Oxides
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantSynthetic Fluorphlogopite, C30-45 Alkyl Dimethicone, Silica, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sorbitan Isostearate, C20-24 Alkyl Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, C20-24 Olefin, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Alumina, Limonene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Linalool, Glycerin, Zinc Stearate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Citral, Mica, Citric Acid, Tin Oxide, Iron Oxides, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Squalane
Emollient
C9-12 Alkane
SolventErythritol
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingDistarch Phosphate
AbsorbentPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Magnesium Sulfate
Zinc Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Propylene Carbonate
SolventSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Lecithin
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Nephelium Lappaceum Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Propanediol, Squalane, C9-12 Alkane, Erythritol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Octyldodecanol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Distarch Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Stearate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Benzoic Acid, Propylene Carbonate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Nephelium Lappaceum Peel Extract, Citric Acid, Stearic Acid, CI 77891, Iron Oxides
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCi 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 77891Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateZinc Stearate is the metal salt of stearic acid. It is a white solid used to bind, thicken, and lubricate products.
This ingredient is common in powder makeup, where it helps keep the powder together.
Zinc Stearate is hydrophobic and repels water.
This ingredient can be sourced from non-animal or animal sources. It is best to reach out to the brand to see where they source this ingredient from.
Learn more about Zinc StearateThis ingredient is a combination of red, black, and yellow iron oxide pigments. This combination of colors is usually found in foundation, because it results in a "skin" color.
The EU typically uses CI numbers for colorants when applicable, such as CI 77489. In the US, iron oxides are regulated as color additives and "iron oxides" is the most commonly used name in US cosmetic practice.
A 2021 paper looked at skincare formulations containing iron oxides and found that they reduced transmission of blue light when measured optically. In simple terms, the pigment particles helped block or scatter part of the visible light spectrum in lab testing and the authors suggest this could translate into better protection against blue-light-related skin effects.
There is also clinical and experimental research showing that tinted products containing iron oxides can reduce visible light-induced pigmentation:
Please note, whether a product reduces visible or blue light depends on things like:
In the EU's CosIng database, iron oxides are only listed as a colorant. CosIng groups ingredients by their main cosmetic role, such as colorant, preservative, or UV filter.
Though studies say iron oxides can "attenuate blue light", they're describing an optical property and not an officially recognized cosmetic function.
So CosIng isn’t contradicting the research. It’s just classifying iron oxides by what they officially are: pigments that add color.
Learn more about Iron Oxides
