What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C20-40 Acid
Cleansing
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantC20-40 Alcohols
EmulsifyingPolyethylene
Abrasive
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate
Emollient
Ethylcellulose
Boron Nitride
Absorbent
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Propanediol
Solvent
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Iron Oxides
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantDiisostearyl Malate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C20-40 Acid, Mica, C20-40 Alcohols, Polyethylene, Synthetic Wax, Isoamyl Laurate, Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Ethylcellulose, Boron Nitride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Propanediol, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Iron Oxides, CI 77891
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientTriethylhexanoin
MaskingC20-40 Acid
Cleansing
C20-40 Alcohols
EmulsifyingPolyethylene
Abrasive
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate
Emollient
Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer
Abrasive
Ethylcellulose
Boron Nitride
Absorbent
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Iron Oxides
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77163
Cosmetic Colorant
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantDiisostearyl Malate, Triethylhexanoin, C20-40 Acid, C20-40 Alcohols, Polyethylene, Synthetic Wax, Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer, Ethylcellulose, Boron Nitride, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ceramide NP, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Iron Oxides, CI 77891, CI 77163, Mica
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ascorbyl Palmitate is a fat-soluble form of vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) made by combining it with palmitic acid.
It is able to blend easily into creams and oil-based formulas because it dissolves in oils rather than water.
As you may know, regular vitamin C is notorious for breaking down when exposed to sunlight and air. Ascorbyl Palmitate is more stable and degrades at a slower rate.
Research on whether it converts efficiently into active vitamin C once it's applied on your skin is still limited. Some in-vitro studies suggest it may support collagen production, but it is not considered one of the stronger vitamin C derivatives, like:
Due to the palmitic acid base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Comedogenic studies have also shown this ingredient to have a rating of 2.
It's also worth keeping in mind that comedogenic and irritancy ratings are tested on individual ingredients, not finished formulas. The final product's formulation, concentration, and other ingredients all play a role in how something actually behaves on your skin.
Learn more about Ascorbyl PalmitateBoron Nitride is compound consisting of boron and nitrogen. It is used to absorb oil and modify adherence/ slip in products.
This means it is often used in makeup products to help them last longer.
This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterC20-40 Acid isn't fungal acne safe.
We don't have a description for C20-40 Alcohols yet.
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 77891Diisostearyl Malate is an emollient and most often used in lip products. It comes from isostearyl alcohol, a fatty acid, and malic acid, an AHA.
As an emollient, Diisostearyl Malate helps create a thin film on your skin to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin soft and smooth.
We don't have a description for Ethylcellulose yet.
Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate isn't fungal acne safe.
Mica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and color in cosmetics. It can also help improve the texture of a product or give it an opaque, white/silver color.
Serecite is the name for very fine but ragged grains of mica.
This ingredient is often coated with metal oxides like titanium dioxide. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.
Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.
Learn more about MicaPolyethylene is a synthetic ingredient that helps the skin retain moisture. It is a polymer.
It is also typically used within product formulations to help bind solid ingredients together and thicken oil-based ingredients. When added to balms and emulsions, it helps increase the melting point temperature.
Synthetic Wax is created from fossil fuels such as natural gas. It is used to enhance texture, adjust pH, and as an occlusive.
It may also be used as an abrasive ingredient to exfoliate the skin.
Synthetic Wax may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Synthetic WaxTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skinâs lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolThis 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 isnât contradicting the research. Itâs just classifying iron oxides by what they officially are: pigments that add color.
Learn more about Iron Oxides
