What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientTrimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientPentaerythrityl Stearate/Caprate/Caprylate/Adipate
EmollientLauryl PEG-8 PPG-8 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingIsododecane
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingPrunus Serrulata Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Albiflora Flower Extract
TonicDiphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecanol
EmollientDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPolyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Sulfate
Acrylates/Stearyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Stearic Acid
CleansingAlumina
AbrasivePolyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
EmulsifyingPolyhydroxystearic Acid
EmulsifyingIsopropyl Titanium Triisostearate
EmollientAdenosine
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningLauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantPropanediol
SolventTrisiloxane
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingParfum
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, CI 77891, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Pentaerythrityl Stearate/Caprate/Caprylate/Adipate, Lauryl PEG-8 PPG-8 Dimethicone, Isododecane, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, CI 77492, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Flower Extract, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Octyldodecanol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Magnesium Sulfate, Acrylates/Stearyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, Aluminum Hydroxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Stearic Acid, Alumina, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Adenosine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Cyanocobalamin, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Tocopherol, Propanediol, Trisiloxane, Caprylyl Methicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ceramide NP, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Parfum, Linalool, Limonene, Mica, CI 77491, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantButylene Glycol
HumectantIsododecane
EmollientMethylpropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
SmoothingPvp
Emulsion StabilisingC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSqualane
EmollientPolyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
EmulsifyingMica
Cosmetic ColorantMagnesium Sulfate
Acrylates/Stearyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingVinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Silica
AbrasiveAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Stearic Acid
CleansingCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantAcrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMethicone
EmollientAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantGlycerin
HumectantOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingAvena Sativa Protein Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Titanium Dioxide, Butylene Glycol, Isododecane, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Pvp, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Squalane, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Mica, Magnesium Sulfate, Acrylates/Stearyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, CI 77492, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Silica, Aluminum Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Palmitic Acid, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Stearic Acid, CI 77491, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methicone, Adenosine, CI 77499, Glycerin, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Avena Sativa Protein Extract, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesÂ
Acrylates/Stearyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer is a type of silicone.
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineAluminum Hydroxide is a form of aluminum. It can be naturally found in nature as the mineral gibbsite. In cosmetics, Aluminum Hydroxide is used as a colorant, pH adjuster, and absorbent.
As a colorant, Aluminum Hydroxide may add opacity, or reduce the transparency. Aluminum hydroxide is contains both basic and acidic properties.
According to manufacturers, this ingredient is an emollient and humectant. This means it helps hydrate the skin.
In medicine, this ingredient is used to help relieve heartburn and help heal ulcers.
There is currently no credible scientific evidence linking aluminum hydroxide in cosmetics to increased cancer risk.
Major health organizations allow the use of aluminum hydroxide in personal care products and have not flagged it as a carcinogenic risk at typical usage levels.
Learn more about Aluminum HydroxideButylene 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 GlycolThis is a lightweight diester (caprylic/capric acid + butylene glycol) with emollient and skin conditioning properties.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient can help add a "cushiony" oil phase without making it heavy.
Ceramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPThis ingredient is a silicone-based emulsifer that helps the water and oil phases play nicely together.
It's pretty effective because one end of the molecule loves oil and the other one loves water.
Besides holding formulas together, it also leaves a silky and lightweight feel on skin without the greasiness. A manufacturer also claims it can help with the controlled release of active ingredients.
The CIR Expert Panel found this ingredient to not be sensitizing in concentrations up to 15% in human maximazation testing and dimethicone-based compounds were not comedogenic.
It has a high molecular weight well above 1,000 g/mol which means it limits meaningful skin penetration.
A 2019 study specifically tested this ingredient and found no observable Malassezia growth in its presence.
Learn more about Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 DimethiconeCi 77491 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a red/pink hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created Ci 77491 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77491CI 77492 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a yellow hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created CI 77492 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77492Ci 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.
Cyclopentasiloxane (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 CyclopentasiloxaneDisteardimonium Hectorite comes from the clay mineral named hectorite. It is used to add thickness to a product.
It can also help stabilize a product by helping to disperse other ingredients.
Hectorite is a rare, white clay mineral.
Learn more about Disteardimonium HectoriteGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinIsododecane 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 IsododecaneMagnesium Sulfate is a salt. More specifically, it is an epsom salt, or the bath salt used to help relieve muscle aches.
Despite having ‘sulfate’ in the name, it isn’t a surfactant or cleansing agent like sodium lauryl sulfate. Unlike those sulfates, magnesium sulfate doesn’t have the same cleansing or foaming properties (it's simply a type of salt).
In cosmetics, Magnesium Sulfate is used to thicken a product or help dilute other solids. It is a non-reactive and non-irritating ingredient.
One study shows magnesium deficiency may lead to inflammation of the skin. Applying magnesium topically may help reduce inflammation.
You can find this ingredient in sea water or mineral deposits.
Learn more about Magnesium SulfateMica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and color in cosmetics. It can also help improve the texture of a product or give it an opaque, white/silver color.
Serecite is the name for very fine but ragged grains of mica.
This ingredient is often coated with metal oxides like titanium dioxide. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.
Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.
Learn more about MicaNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePolyglyceryl-4 Isostearate is a plant-derived, PEG-free emulsifier.
It's made by hooking isostearic acid onto a chain of glycerin units to give it a water-loving "head" and oil-loving "tail". This allows it to keep the oil and water mixed in a formula.
The highest reported concentration is about 24% in eye makeup but most suppliers recommend a level below 10%.
It has a clean track record for safety and found to be non-irritating.
Because it is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, Malassezia can potentially metabolize it (it sits in the C11-24 range that Malassezia likes). Therefore, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-4 IsostearateStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTriethoxycaprylylsilane is a silicon-based surface modifier that makes sunscreens feel silky and makeup stay put.
Its main job is to coat mineral particles like titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and color pigments in a thin, oily layer so they spread smoothly, don't clump, and stick to skin better.
This ingredient is typically used at low levels (up to 2.5% in eyeshadow and 1% in lipstick).
Learn more about TriethoxycaprylylsilaneThis silicone is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on the skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
It is not soluble in water and helps increase water-resistance in products.
According to a manufacturer, it can blend seamlessly with silicone oils, such as Cyclopentasiloxane.
Learn more about TrimethylsiloxysilicateWater. 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