What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Dimethicone
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Boron Nitride
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Perlite
Absorbent
Magnesium Sulfate
Silica Silylate
Emollient
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Lens Esculenta Seed Extract
Skin ProtectingBisabolol
Antioxidant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantDextrin
AbsorbentDimethiconol
Emollient
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Eperua Falcata Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingFarnesol
Perfuming
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Dimethicone, Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Isononyl Isononanoate, Alcohol Denat., Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Boron Nitride, Phenoxyethanol, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Perlite, Magnesium Sulfate, Silica Silylate, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Menthyl Lactate, Lens Esculenta Seed Extract, Bisabolol, CI 77891, Dextrin, Dimethiconol, CI 77491, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Eperua Falcata Bark Extract, Farnesol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl 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 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 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.
Phenoxyethanol 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 Phenoxyethanol
