Makeup by Mario Softsculpt Bronzing & Shaping Serum Versus KVD Vegan Beauty Modcon Liquid-Gel Contour
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Oleate Citrate
Emulsifying
Hexyl Laurate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingC18-36 Acid Glycol Ester
EmollientC18-36 Acid Triglyceride
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialBoron Nitride
Absorbent
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Water, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Hexyl Laurate, Silica, Hyaluronic Acid, Caffeine, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Tocopherol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, C18-36 Acid Glycol Ester, C18-36 Acid Triglyceride, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Boron Nitride, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sorbitan Laurate, Sodium Benzoate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Tin Oxide, Mica, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891, Iron Oxides
Bellis Perennis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantHelichrysum Italicum Extract
AntiseborrhoeicPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexyl Olivate
Skin Conditioning
Amp-Acrylates/Allyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Cetearyl Olivate
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAlumina
Abrasive
Magnesium Oxide
AbsorbentPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Iron Oxides
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantBellis Perennis Flower Extract, Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Helichrysum Italicum Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Amp-Acrylates/Allyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Cetearyl Olivate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Alumina, Magnesium Oxide, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Iron Oxides, 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.
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 77891Ethylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Tocopherol 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 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
