What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
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Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingIsododecane
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeIsostearic Acid
CleansingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningEthylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer
Sorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Chlorphenesin
AntimicrobialTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantIron Oxides
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Isononyl Isononanoate, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Glycerin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Isododecane, Phenoxyethanol, Isostearic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Sorbitan Oleate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Chlorphenesin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Iron Oxides, CI 77891
Cyclopentasiloxane
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantVinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Propylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningPolymethyl Methacrylate
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientPropylene Carbonate
SolventDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Cyclopentasiloxane, Water, Glycerin, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Propylene Glycol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Isododecane, Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Propylene Carbonate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, CI 77891, Iron Oxides
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 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 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 IsododecanePeg-10 Dimethicone is silicone with conditioner and emulsifier properties. It mostly acts as an emollient in skincare and and humectant in haircare.
According to the manufacturer, acidic formulations decrease the stability of this ingredient. It works best in neutral or near neutral formulations.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Phenyl Trimethicone is a silicon-based polymer. It is derived from silica.
Phenyl Trimethicone is used as an emollient and prevents products from foaming.
As an emollient, it helps trap moisture in the skin. It is considered an occlusive.
Learn more about Phenyl TrimethiconeTriethoxycaprylylsilane 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 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