What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Propylene Glycol
HumectantSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
SmoothingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeMagnesium Sulfate
Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantParaffin
Skin ConditioningDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingMicrocrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSilica Silylate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantSynthetic Wax
AbrasiveTocopherol
AntioxidantCaffeine
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyglutamate
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
ChelatingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lactate
BufferingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glycerin, Propanediol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Propylene Glycol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Niacinamide, Phenoxyethanol, Magnesium Sulfate, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Paraffin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Microcrystalline Wax, Caprylyl Glycol, Silica Silylate, Butylene Glycol, Synthetic Wax, Tocopherol, Caffeine, Sodium Polyglutamate, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Adenosine, Carbomer, Sodium Lactate, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientC13-15 Alkane
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingOctyldodecanol
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPolyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingTribehenin
EmollientDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPolyhydroxystearic Acid
EmulsifyingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeGlyceryl Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientTriheptanoin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantLysine
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialMagnesium Chloride
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
Astringent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientChlorella Sorokiniana Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Squalane, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, C13-15 Alkane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecanol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tribehenin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Aluminum Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate, Triheptanoin, Xanthan Gum, Yeast Extract, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Lysine, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Magnesium Chloride, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorella Sorokiniana Extract, Tocopherol, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, 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.
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 HydroxideCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCi 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 77891Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel.
Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture.
This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating.
Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%.
Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24).
Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne.
Learn more about Coco-Caprylate/CaprateDisteardimonium 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 GlycerinSorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.
In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.
Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.
Learn more about Sorbitan IsostearateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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