What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialTrimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningPerlite
AbsorbentSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantNylon-12
Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Skin ConditioningDiisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingHdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Bis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone
EmollientMagnesium Sulfate
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCellulose
AbsorbentDipentaerythrityl Tetrahydroxystearate/Tetraisostearate
Skin ConditioningSilica Silylate
EmollientDisodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCalcium Aluminum Borosilicate
Tocopherol
AntioxidantMoroccan Lava Clay
AbrasiveGlycerin
HumectantEmpetrum Nigrum Fruit Juice
Skin ConditioningAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientSilica
AbrasivePotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77163
Cosmetic ColorantCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid, Water, Isododecane, Dimethicone, Alcohol Denat., Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Butylene Glycol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Perlite, Sodium Hyaluronate, Nylon-12, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Bis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone, Magnesium Sulfate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Phenoxyethanol, Cellulose, Dipentaerythrityl Tetrahydroxystearate/Tetraisostearate, Silica Silylate, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Tocopherol, Moroccan Lava Clay, Glycerin, Empetrum Nigrum Fruit Juice, Aluminum Hydroxide, Silica, Potassium Sorbate, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77891, CI 77163, Ceramide AP
Water
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
EmulsifyingZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentButylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeMagnesium Sulfate
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientSorbitol
HumectantDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Tocopherol
AntioxidantSilica Silylate
EmollientSodium Stearate
CleansingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPropylene Carbonate
SolventSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCeteareth-20
CleansingCalcium Chloride
AstringentAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Isododecane, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Zea Mays Starch, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Magnesium Sulfate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbitol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tocopherol, Silica Silylate, Sodium Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propylene Carbonate, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Ceteareth-20, Calcium Chloride, Aluminum Hydroxide, Mica, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77891
Reviews
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 HydroxideButylene 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 GlycolCi 77491 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a red/pink hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created Ci 77491 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77491CI 77492 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a yellow hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created CI 77492 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77492Ci 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.
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 77891DSG is used as a surfactant.
Surfactants are cleansing ingredients that help remove oil, dirt, and other impurities from the skin. They work by reducing surface tension between water and oils/dirt to allow them to be easily rinsed away.
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 HectoriteGlycerin (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 GlycerinIsododecane is a fragrance, emollient, and solvent.
As an emollient, it helps your skin stay soft and hydrated. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin.
Isododecane's role as a solvent makes it a great texture enhancer. It spreads smoothly on skin and does not leave a sticky feeling behind. Isododecane also helps prevent color transfer in makeup products.
Isododecane is not absorbed into skin.
The chemical name for this ingredient is 2,2,4,6,6-PENTAMETHYLHEPTANE.
Learn more about IsododecaneMagnesium Sulfate is a salt. More specifically, it is an epsom salt, or the bath salt used to help relieve muscle aches.
Despite having ‘sulfate’ in the name, it isn’t a surfactant or cleansing agent like sodium lauryl sulfate. Unlike those sulfates, magnesium sulfate doesn’t have the same cleansing or foaming properties (it's simply a type of salt).
In cosmetics, Magnesium Sulfate is used to thicken a product or help dilute other solids. It is a non-reactive and non-irritating ingredient.
One study shows magnesium deficiency may lead to inflammation of the skin. Applying magnesium topically may help reduce inflammation.
You can find this ingredient in sea water or mineral deposits.
Learn more about Magnesium SulfatePhenoxyethanol 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.
Silica Silylate is a siloxane polymer, meaning it is made up of silicon and oxygen atoms. It is not soluble in water.
This ingredient is a white powder with oil-absorbing, emollient, and anticaking properties.
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite is the synthethic version of mica. It consists of fluorine, aluminum and silicate.
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite is used to add volume to products.
It is considered non-irritating on the skin.
Learn more about Synthetic FluorphlogopiteTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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