What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientTrimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCydonia Oblonga Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
AbrasiveSodium Chloride
MaskingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Sulfate
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Sodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingBenzoic Acid
MaskingC24-28 Alkyl Methicone
EmollientDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativePropylene Carbonate
SolventPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientIron Oxides
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Glycerin, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Cydonia Oblonga Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Silica, Sodium Chloride, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Magnesium Sulfate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Benzoic Acid, C24-28 Alkyl Methicone, Dehydroacetic Acid, Propylene Carbonate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tocopherol, Aluminum Hydroxide, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningTrimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientCyclomethicone
EmollientSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingTriethyl Citrate
MaskingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Parfum
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Benzyl Salicylate
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingAmyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Extract
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantIron Oxides
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Phenyl Trimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Caprylyl Methicone, Glycerin, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Cyclomethicone, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Chloride, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Triethyl Citrate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Aluminum Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Geraniol, Amyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Iron Oxides, CI 77891
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 HydroxideThis ingredient is a silicone-based emulsifer that helps the water and oil phases play nicely together. It's so effective because one end of the molecule loves oil and the other one loves water.
Besides holding formulas together, it also leaves a silky and lightweight feel on skin without the greasiness. A manufacturer also claims it can help with the controlled release of active ingredients.
The CIR Expert Panel found this ingredient to not be sensitizing in concentrations up to 15% in human maximazation testing and dimethicone-based compounds were not comedogenic.
It has a high molecular weight well above 1,000 g/mol which means it limits meaningful skin penetration.
A 2019 study specifically tested this ingredient and found no observable Malassezia growth in its presence.
Learn more about Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 DimethiconeDimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone created by modifying dimethicone with hydrocarbon side chains. Due to its large size, it does not penetrate skin. It is considered non-occlusive.
Dimethicone Crosspolymer is used to stabilize and thicken products. It also helps give products a silky feel.
Disteardimonium 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 HectoriteEthylhexylglycerin 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 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.
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract is extract from Apples. Apples are rich in Vitamin C, sugars, and antioxidants.
The sugar in Apples are humectants and help hydrate the skin. On top of that, apples also contain some acids, such as malic acid. These acids may have a mild exfoliating effect.
Last, the phytochemicals found in apples are strong antioxidants. These antioxidants help with anti-aging as they protect your skin cells against oxidative damage.
Learn more about Pyrus Malus Fruit ExtractChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideTriethoxycaprylylsilane 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