What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Isododecane
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polysilicone-11
Saccharomyces Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Isohexadecane
EmollientEnantia Chlorantha Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingOleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningIsododecane, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Polysilicone-11, Saccharomyces Ferment, Isohexadecane, Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polysorbate 80, Lauroyl Lysine, Polysorbate 20, Hexylene Glycol, Oleanolic Acid
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningPEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer
Disiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Polysilicone-11
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientVinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides
Skin ConditioningSodium Salicylate
Preservative
Adipic Acid/Neopentyl Glycol Crosspolymer
Methyl Methacrylate/PEG/PPG-4/3 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientLaureth-12
EmulsifyingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Vp/Va Copolymer
Cyclotetrasiloxane
Emollient
Amodimethicone
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Methicone, Water, PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Disiloxane, Polysilicone-11, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Cyclomethicone, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides, Sodium Salicylate, Adipic Acid/Neopentyl Glycol Crosspolymer, Methyl Methacrylate/PEG/PPG-4/3 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopherol, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Laureth-12, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 80, Dimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Vp/Va Copolymer, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Amodimethicone, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Citric Acid, Butylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene 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 GlycolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolIsohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.
Due to its large size, Isohexadecane is not absorbed by the skin. Instead, it sits on top and acts as an emollient. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by trapping moisture within.
Isohexadecane is often used in products designed to help oily skin. It is lightweight and non-greasy while helping to moisturize. When mixed with silicones, it gives a product a silky feel.
Learn more about IsohexadecanePhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolPolysilicone-11 is a film-forming silicone that creates a non-tacky and matte finish on the skin. It's commonly used to improve texture, absorb excess oil, and help active ingredients spread evenly.
Due to its "rubber-like" structure, it stays on the skin's surface instead of being absorbed. On the skin, it creates a flexible layer that enhances wearability and stability.
Polysorbate 80 is a synthetic surfactant and emulsifier derived from sorbitol and oleic acid.
It reduces the surface tension between oil and water phases to help them stay mixed and stable in a formulation. In other words, it prevents your formulas from separating into an oily mess.
The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the scientific data and found this ingredient to be safe, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing at concentrations up to 5% (it's even approved by the FDA as an OTC eye drop ingredient).
Learn more about Polysorbate 80
