Hourglass Cosmetics Veil Hydrating Skin Tint Foundation Versus Chu Chü Beauty Soft Focus Skin Perfector SPF 15
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
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
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientMagnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Iron Oxides
Talc
Abrasive
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Diisostearyl Malate, Magnesium Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Talc, Mica, Aluminum Hydroxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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 WaterThis 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
