What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Acrylates Copolymer
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters
Emulsion Stabilising
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Phosphate
BufferingCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Synthetic Beeswax, Acrylates Copolymer, Jojoba Esters, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Stearic Acid, Propanediol, Palmitic Acid, Aminomethyl Propanol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Disodium Phosphate, Polysorbate 60, Tocopherol, Sodium Phosphate, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingTriethanolamine
BufferingPolybutene
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Sodium Stearate
CleansingCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Synthetic Beeswax, Paraffin, Stearic Acid, Acacia Senegal Gum, Triethanolamine, Polybutene, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Sodium Stearate, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77891
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.
Ci 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.
Copernicia Cerifera Wax comes from a palm tree native to Brazil; another name for this ingredient is Carnauba Wax.
This ingredient is used to thicken texture and also leaves behind a film when applied.
Fun fact: This wax has the highest melting point of all natural waxes and low solubility.
Learn more about Copernicia Cerifera WaxHydroxyethylcellulose 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 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidSynthetic beeswax is created to be identical in structure to beeswax without involving bees, making it a go-to for vegan formulas.
It's mainly used an an emulsion stabilizer and thickener.
This ingredient (alongside other synthetic waxes) have been concluded to be safe in cosmetics under the present practices.
Reported usage goes up to 18% and it is non-sensitizing.
Just one caveat for fungal acne: This ingredient is made up of C16-32 fatty acids and fatty acid esters. Part of this overlaps with the C11-24 range that the Malassezia yeast can feed on, so it's not fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Synthetic BeeswaxTocopherol 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
