What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingCopernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Polybutene
Silica
Abrasive
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Polyamide-8
EmollientPvp
Emulsion StabilisingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Tromethamine
BufferingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-100 Stearate
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Synthetic Beeswax, Butylene Glycol, Palmitic Acid, Acacia Senegal Gum, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Polybutene, Silica, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Polyamide-8, Pvp, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Tromethamine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Dimethicone, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-100 Stearate, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Myristic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Lauric Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Isopropyl Alcohol, CI 77499, CI 77492, CI 77491
Water
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Candelilla Wax
EmollientSteareth-21
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cellulose
Absorbent
Silica
Abrasive
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate
EmollientCopernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Starch
AbsorbentPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Arginine
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Chondrus Crispus Powder
Abrasive
Dimethicone
Emollient
Water, Synthetic Candelilla Wax, Steareth-21, Glyceryl Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cellulose, Silica, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Oryza Sativa Starch, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Arginine, Tocopherol, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Dimethicone
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acacia Senegal Gum has skin soothing, thickening, and formulation stabilizing properties. It comes from the Acacia tree that is native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Butylene 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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolThis ingredient comes from a palm tree native to Brazil. This ingredient is used to thicken texture and leaves behind a film when applied.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Silica, 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 SilicaWater. 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
