What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Isododecane
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Dimethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingIron Oxides
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIsododecane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Isononyl Isononanoate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Silica, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Tocopherol, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Water, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hexylene Glycol, Iron Oxides, CI 77891
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Phenyl Methicone
Emollient
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Hexapeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Ethyl Linoleate
Emollient
Ethyl Linolenate
Emollient
Ethyl Oleate
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingCyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Water, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenyl Methicone, Polyethylene, Squalane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ubiquinone, Hexapeptide-3, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Bisabolol, Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Phytosphingosine, Ethyl Linoleate, Ethyl Linolenate, Ethyl Oleate, Hexylene Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl 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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneDimethicone 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 DimethiconeDimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone created by modifying dimethicone with hydrocarbon side chains. Due to its large size, it does not penetrate skin. It is considered non-occlusive.
Dimethicone Crosspolymer is used to stabilize and thicken products. It also helps give products a silky feel.
This ingredient is a silicone elastomer that works as a texture enhancer, adds a silky slip, and also helps absorb excess oil.
Because it's a large macromolecule that's insoluble in water and chemically inert, it's not expected to penetrate or be absorbed into skin.
Human patch tests with a facial lotion containing 1% of this ingredient found no sensitization.
Learn more about Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone CrosspolymerHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateTocopherol 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 TocopherolTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
