What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningUndecane
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tridecane
Perfuming
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Hexyl Laurate
Emollient
Magnesium Sulfate
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingDisodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSilica Silylate
Emollient
Acrylonitrile/Methyl Methacrylate/Vinylidene Chloride Copolymer
Parfum
Masking
Trihydroxystearin
Skin Conditioning
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientAcetylated Glycol Stearate
Emollient
Isobutane
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citronellol
Perfuming
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77510
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Undecane, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Tridecane, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Hexyl Laurate, Magnesium Sulfate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Octyldodecanol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Cellulose Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Silica Silylate, Acrylonitrile/Methyl Methacrylate/Vinylidene Chloride Copolymer, Parfum, Trihydroxystearin, Aluminum Hydroxide, Acetylated Glycol Stearate, Isobutane, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Citronellol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77510
Isododecane
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingAdipic Acid/Neopentyl Glycol Crosspolymer
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Lecithin
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Hexyl Laurate
Emollient
Polysilicone-11
Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate
Emollient
Laureth-12
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Isododecane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Water, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Adipic Acid/Neopentyl Glycol Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Silica, Sodium Chloride, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Hexyl Laurate, Polysilicone-11, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Laureth-12, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Iron Oxides
Reviews
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 GlycolThis ingredient is a silicone-based emulsifer that helps the water and oil phases play nicely together.
It's pretty 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 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 DimethiconeDisteardimonium 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 GlycerinHexyl Laurate isn't fungal acne safe.
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate is a plant-derived, PEG-free emulsifier.
It's made by hooking isostearic acid onto a chain of glycerin units to give it a water-loving "head" and oil-loving "tail". This allows it to keep the oil and water mixed in a formula.
The highest reported concentration is about 24% in eye makeup but most suppliers recommend a level below 10%.
It has a clean track record for safety and found to be non-irritating.
Because it is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, Malassezia can potentially metabolize it (it sits in the C11-24 range that Malassezia likes). Therefore, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-4 IsostearateWater. 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
