What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Boron Nitride
Absorbent
Polyglyceryl-2 Oleate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPolyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Magnesium Sulfate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingPolyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Isononyl Isononanoate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Boron Nitride, Polyglyceryl-2 Oleate, Phenoxyethanol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Magnesium Sulfate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Aluminum Hydroxide, CI 77891, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningC13-15 Alkane
SolventZinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPropanediol
Solvent
Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingDistarch Phosphate
AbsorbentZinc Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantPolyglyceryl-2 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Sulfate
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Sodium Myristoyl Glutamate
CleansingLecithin
Emollient
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Citric Acid
Buffering
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, C13-15 Alkane, Zinc Oxide, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Pentylene Glycol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Distarch Phosphate, Zinc Stearate, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Magnesium Sulfate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Sodium Myristoyl Glutamate, Lecithin, Aluminum Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Stearic Acid, Citric Acid, CI 77891, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499
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
Aluminum 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 HydroxideC12-15 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 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.
Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 77891Disteardimonium 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 HectoriteMagnesium 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 SulfateSodium Dehydroacetate is a synthetic preservative and sodium salt form of dehydroacetic acid. It stops bacteria, mold, and yeast from growing in your products at low concentrations.
Clinical testing found it to be non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-photosensitizing. It's also not significantly absorbed through skin.
There are a very small number of reported cases of contact dermatitis in cases linked to wound-care creams used over compromised skin (rather than skincare).
Overall, this is a well-studied and low-risk preservative just doing its job.
Typical concentrations run up to 0.6%, which is also the maximum amount permitted under both EU CosIng regulations and US FDA guidelines.
Learn more about Sodium DehydroacetateWater. 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
