What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantDimethicone
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPropanediol
Solvent
Isododecane
EmollientPropylene Glycol Dibenzoate
Skin ConditioningLauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Silica
Abrasive
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantAcrylates/Polytrimethylsiloxymethacrylate Copolymer
Skin ConditioningDextrin Palmitate
Emulsifying
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Sapphire Powder
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Magnesium Sulfate
Acrylates/Stearyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Alumina
Abrasive
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientPolyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate
Emollient
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, CI 77891, Dimethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Propanediol, Isododecane, Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Silica, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, CI 77492, Acrylates/Polytrimethylsiloxymethacrylate Copolymer, Dextrin Palmitate, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Caprylyl Methicone, Sapphire Powder, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Octyldodecanol, Magnesium Sulfate, Acrylates/Stearyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Stearic Acid, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Alumina, Aluminum Hydroxide, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Adenosine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Tocopherol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, CI 77491, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningBoron Nitride
Absorbent
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialHomosalate
Skin Conditioning
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Polysilicone-15
UV Filter
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Isohexadecane
EmollientTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Isododecane
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
C13-15 Alkane
SolventSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantTriethoxycaprylylsilane
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantAlumina
Abrasive
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Pancratium Maritimum Extract
BleachingWater, Boron Nitride, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Homosalate, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Polysilicone-15, Cyclopentasiloxane, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Cyclohexasiloxane, Polysorbate 80, Polysorbate 60, Isohexadecane, Titanium Dioxide, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Isododecane, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Dipropylene Glycol, Decyl Glucoside, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, C13-15 Alkane, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, CI 77492, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, CI 77491, Alumina, Propylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Sorbitan Oleate, Disodium EDTA, T-Butyl Alcohol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycerin, Pancratium Maritimum Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alumina is another name for the compound aluminum oxide. It is a white powder used as a thickener, absorbent, and abrasive.
As an absorbent, alumina can give a mattifying effect. It is used in mineral sunscreens to help coat nano-sized filters, such as titanium dioxide. By increasing the size of the UV filters, these ingredients stay on the skin for a longer time. By coating small sized ingredients, alumina helps thicken a product.
Alumina may be used as an abrasive, or exfoliant.
Alumina is naturally occurring in the mineral corundum. Certain varieties of corundum create rubies and sapphires. Corundum is also the crystalline form of alumina.
Learn more about AluminaC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.
Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateCi 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 77492Cyclopentasiloxane (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 CyclopentasiloxaneGlycerin (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 IsododecaneTriethoxycaprylylsilane 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 TriethoxycaprylylsilaneWater. 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
