What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberGlycerin
HumectantDrometrizole Trisiloxane
UV AbsorberDimethicone
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantTerephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV AbsorberPropylene Glycol
HumectantDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV FilterTriethanolamine
BufferingCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientBHT
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Seedcake Extract
Skin ProtectingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCarnosine
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientMyristic Acid
CleansingMyristyl Alcohol
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate
CleansingStearyl Alcohol
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantTromethamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, CI 77891, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Glycerin, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Dimethicone, Alcohol Denat., Titanium Dioxide, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Triethanolamine, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Stearic Acid, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Pentylene Glycol, Aluminum Hydroxide, BHT, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Seedcake Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Carnosine, Cetyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Stearate, Myristic Acid, Myristyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate, Stearyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantPEG-75
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecanol
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract
RefreshingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeButylene Glycol
HumectantPolyhydroxystearic Acid
EmulsifyingSodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingTamarindus Indica Seed Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientPropylene Carbonate
SolventAmodimethicone
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantAlcaligenes Polysaccharides
EmollientParfum
MaskingLysine
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Chloride
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBHT
AntioxidantCI 77007
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Glycerin, Methyl Gluceth-20, PEG-75, Pentylene Glycol, Octyldodecanol, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Sodium Carbomer, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum, Aluminum Hydroxide, Propylene Carbonate, Amodimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Alcaligenes Polysaccharides, Parfum, Lysine, Magnesium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, BHT, CI 77007, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77891, Mica
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 HydroxideBHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTButylene 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 77891Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolWater. 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