What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Zinc Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantLauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingUndecylenoyl Glycine
CleansingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Iron Oxides
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77742
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantMica, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Zinc Stearate, Lauroyl Lysine, C10-18 Triglycerides, Capryloyl Glycine, Undecylenoyl Glycine, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Iron Oxides, CI 77891, CI 77742, CI 15850, CI 19140
Talc
Abrasive
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate
Emollient
Nylon-12
Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientSilica
Abrasive
Pearl Extract
Antioxidant
Monarda Didyma Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMentha Viridis Extract
MaskingMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Epilobium Fleischeri Extract
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientMethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Amethyst Powder
Abrasive
Mentha Arvensis Powder
MaskingPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Water
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Oleyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Diamond Powder
Abrasive
Glycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
CI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
CI 77742
Cosmetic ColorantTalc, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Nylon-12, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Diisostearyl Malate, Silica, Pearl Extract, Monarda Didyma Leaf Extract, Mentha Viridis Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Epilobium Fleischeri Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glucose, Isostearic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Caprylate, Methicone, Glycerin, Allantoin, Amethyst Powder, Mentha Arvensis Powder, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Water, Octyldodecanol, Oleyl Alcohol, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Diamond Powder, Glycine Soja Sterols, Tocopherol, CI 15850, CI 77491, CI 19140, Iron Oxides, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, CI 77742
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterThis ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCi 15850 is the pigment color red. It is an azo dye and created synthetically.
Azo dyes need to be thoroughly purified before use. This allows them to be more stable and longer-lasting.
This ingredient is common in foundations, lipsticks, and blushes. This color is described as brown/orangey red.
It has many secondary names such as Red 6 and Red 7. According to a manufacturer, Red 6 usually contains aluminum.
Learn more about CI 15850CI 19140 is also known as Tartrazine. Tartrazine is a synthetic dye used in cosmetics, foods, and medicine to add a yellow color.
Tartrazine is created from petroleum and is water-soluble.
Some people may experience allergies from this dye, especially asthmatics and those with an aspirin intolerance.
Learn more about CI 19140This ingredient is used to add a violet color to cosmetics.
It is created by reacting phosphoric acid, ammonium dihydrogen orthophosphate, and manganese dioxide.
Mica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and color in cosmetics. It can also help improve the texture of a product or give it an opaque, white/silver color.
Serecite is the name for very fine but ragged grains of mica.
This ingredient is often coated with metal oxides like titanium dioxide. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.
Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.
Learn more about MicaThis ingredient is a combination of red, black, and yellow iron oxide pigments. This combination of colors is usually found in foundation, because it results in a "skin" color.
The EU typically uses CI numbers for colorants when applicable, such as CI 77489. In the US, iron oxides are regulated as color additives and "iron oxides" is the most commonly used name in US cosmetic practice.
A 2021 paper looked at skincare formulations containing iron oxides and found that they reduced transmission of blue light when measured optically. In simple terms, the pigment particles helped block or scatter part of the visible light spectrum in lab testing and the authors suggest this could translate into better protection against blue-light-related skin effects.
There is also clinical and experimental research showing that tinted products containing iron oxides can reduce visible light-induced pigmentation:
Please note, whether a product reduces visible or blue light depends on things like:
In the EU's CosIng database, iron oxides are only listed as a colorant. CosIng groups ingredients by their main cosmetic role, such as colorant, preservative, or UV filter.
Though studies say iron oxides can "attenuate blue light", they're describing an optical property and not an officially recognized cosmetic function.
So CosIng isn’t contradicting the research. It’s just classifying iron oxides by what they officially are: pigments that add color.
Learn more about Iron Oxides
