L'Oreal Lash Paradise Mascara Versus Essence Lash Without Limits Extreme Lengthening & Volume Mascara
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffin
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCopernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingStyrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer
Cera Alba
Emollient
Synthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Polybutene
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Steareth-20
CleansingGlyceryl Dibehenate
Emollient
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingTribehenin
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil
Abrasive
Hydrogenated Palm Oil
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Silica
Abrasive
Tetrasodium EDTA
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
BHT
Antioxidant
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77007
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Paraffin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Styrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Cera Alba, Synthetic Beeswax, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Polybutene, Cetyl Alcohol, Steareth-20, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Steareth-2, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acacia Senegal Gum, Tribehenin, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Behenate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Silica, Tetrasodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, BHT, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77007
Water
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/Ethylhexyl Acrylate Copolymer
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Rhus Verniciflua Peel Cera
EmollientSteareth-20
CleansingSteareth-2
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Kaolin
Abrasive
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPolyester-4
Skin ConditioningLaureth-21
CleansingSodium Phosphate
BufferingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Acrylates/Ethylhexyl Acrylate Copolymer, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Butylene Glycol, Rhus Verniciflua Peel Cera, Steareth-20, Steareth-2, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Kaolin, Acacia Senegal Gum, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polyester-4, Laureth-21, Sodium Phosphate, Disodium Phosphate, Potassium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, 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.
Acacia Senegal Gum has skin soothing, thickening, and formulation stabilizing properties. It comes from the Acacia tree that is native to sub-Saharan Africa.
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 GlycolCaprylyl 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 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.
This ingredient comes from a palm tree native to Brazil. This ingredient is used to thicken texture and leaves behind a film when applied.
Hydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcellulosePhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolSodium Dehydroacetate is a synthetic preservative and sodium salt form of dehydroacetic acid. It stops bacteria, mold, and yeast from growing in your products at low concentrations.
Clinical testing found it to be non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-photosensitizing. It's also not significantly absorbed through skin.
There are a very small number of reported cases of contact dermatitis in cases linked to wound-care creams used over compromised skin (rather than skincare).
Overall, this is a well-studied and low-risk preservative just doing its job.
Typical concentrations run up to 0.6%, which is also the maximum amount permitted under both EU CosIng regulations and US FDA guidelines.
Learn more about Sodium DehydroacetateSteareth-2 is a waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients. It is created from polyethylene glycol and stearyl alcohol. The 2 stands for the number of ethylene oxide units used to create this ingredient.
Due to the low degree of ethoxylation, the molecule stays mostly oil-loving. That's why you'll often see it paired with water-loving steareth-20 or steareth-21 to create elegant emulsions.
In testing, this ingredient was nontoxic in acute oral studies and not a skin irritant or sensitizer.
You might hear concerns about 1,4-dioxane as a byproduct of ethoxylation; this is well-known in the industry and is controlled through purification steps before the ingredient is blended into finished products.
Learn more about Steareth-2Steareth-20 is an emulsifier and solubilizer. It is created from stearyl alcohol with ~20 units of ethylene oxide to give it a strong preference for water.
As an emulsifier, it helps oil-in-water emulsions like lotions, creams, and cleansers stay stable. It also solubilizes small amounts of oil-loving ingredients (like fragrance) into water-based formulas.
You'll likely find this ingredient with steareth-2 (it's oil-loving sister) where the two work together to give products a cushiony feel.
Typical use levels sit at around 1-5% and this ingredient has been found to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel.
Learn more about Steareth-20Water. 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
