What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningTrimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Tribehenin
Emollient
Magnesium Sulfate
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Methicone
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Cyclopentasiloxane, Water, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Butylene Glycol, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Tribehenin, Magnesium Sulfate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Methicone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Laureth-7, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Sorbic Acid, CI 77891, Iron Oxides
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientAmyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Convallaria Majalis Bulb/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGeraniol
Perfuming
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLilium Candidum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Magnolia Liliflora Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Tbhq
Antioxidant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Iron Oxides
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Sodium Chloride, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Aluminum Hydroxide, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Convallaria Majalis Bulb/Root Extract, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Geraniol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract, Lilium Candidum Flower Extract, Limonene, Linalool, Magnolia Liliflora Flower Extract, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Triethyl Citrate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Glycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tbhq, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolCyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate (long name, huh?) is a synthetic antioxidant.
It is used to help stabilize other antioxidants or prevent the color from changing in a product.
As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules are capable of damaging our cells and other genetic material. Thus, antioxidants may reduce the signs of aging.
This ingredient is oil-soluble.
Learn more about Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl HydroxyhydrocinnamatePhenoxyethanol 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.
This silicone is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on the skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
It is not soluble in water and helps increase water-resistance in products.
According to a manufacturer, it can blend seamlessly with silicone oils, such as Cyclopentasiloxane.
Learn more about TrimethylsiloxysilicateWater. 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 WaterThis 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
