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Lipstick
Lipstick
American United States
American United States

What's inside

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Emollient, Skin Conditioning

You may know this ingredient as argan oil. Argan Oil has antioxidant, hydrating, and soothing properties.

Studies have shown argan oil can help fight again radical damage from the sun. This makes it effective at preventing hyperpigmentation.

Large amounts of vitamin E found in argan oil helps the skin retain water. Argan oil also contains fatty acids such as linoleic acid, oleic acid, and palmitic acid. It is also a good source of lipids.

Another benefit of argan oil is skin-soothing. It can help reduce inflammation-related skin symptoms.

Argan Oil is effective at regulating sebum production in pores. This can make it effective at treating hormonal acne.

Traditionally, argan oil was used for its antibacterial and antifungal properties. However, argan oil contains fatty acids that may make it not fungal-acne safe.

Argan Trees are native to Morocco.

Learn more about Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning

Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil comes from a green tea plant native to China. It is closely related to Camellia sinensis. Both plants have very similar properties. This plant also has similar properties to olive oil.

This ingredient is rich in oleic acid. This makes it an effective moisturizer. By creating a thin film on the skin, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil traps moisture within. This helps keep your skin smooth and hydrated.

The antioxidant and soothing properties of this ingredient come from Vitamin E and polyphenols.

The seed oil comes from the dried kernels of the plant.

Learn more about Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Cosmetic Colorant

Ci 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 15850
Cosmetic Colorant

Ci 42090 is a synthetic dye created from petroleum. It is used to give a bright blue color to cosmetics, medicine, and food.

Cosmetic Colorant

Ci 45380 is a synthetic dye that comes from coal or tar sources. Due to this, it is often used in small quantities.

A common name for this dye is Red 22. Red 22 imparts a warm reddish color.

Similar to Red 27, this dye changes color based on pH and moisture levels.

This dye is colorless when dry but turns pink between pH levels 0.0 to ~3.0.

Learn more about CI 45380
Cosmetic Colorant

CI 45410 is a synthetic red-pigment and dye.

It often goes by both Red 28 or Red 27; manufacturers label both ingredients as CI 45410.

This dye is commonly found in makeup because it imparts a vivid color. Some types of this dye change color based on pH level and interaction with moisture:

Your skin has a natural pH of around 4.5 - 5.5.

According to the FDA, CI 45410 is not permitted for use in eye products.

Red 27 is a flourescein dye and commonly used as a fluorescent tracer in medicine.

Learn more about CI 45410
Cosmetic Colorant

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 77891

This ingredient is a powder used to improve texture, slip, and give products a silky texture.

Emollient, Skin Conditioning

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer. Polymers are compounds with high molecular weight. Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is an emollient and texture enhancer.

In one study, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene showed better skin hydration levels than Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride. As an emollient, it helps keep your skin soft and hydrated by trapping moisture in.

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is often used as a mineral oil replacement.

Learn more about Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
Emulsion Stabilising

Microcrystalline Wax is created by de-oiling petroleum. It is highly refined and purified before being added to cosmetics.

Microcrystalline Wax is used to enhance the texture and create even consistency. It helps stabilize a product by preventing ingredients from separating.

Emollient, Masking

Octyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol. It is primarily used to enhance the texture of products.

As an emulsifier, Octyldodecanol helps prevent the oils and waters from separating. It also prevents ingredients from creating foam when shaken.

Octyldodecanol is created by reducing fatty acid to an alcohol.

Due to its high molecular weight, it does not get absorbed into the skin.

Learn more about Octyldodecanol

Pentaerythrityl 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 Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Emollient, Emulsifying

Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate is derived from isostearic acid. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

The highest concentration of this ingredient is found in lipsticks.

This ingredient is minimally water soluble and may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.

Learn more about Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate

Polybutene is used to help control the viscosity of a product. This just means it helps adjusts the texture.

It is a polymer and does not get absorbed into the skin due to its large size.

Studies found this ingredient did not irritate skin in concentrations below 15%.

Learn more about Polybutene

Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate is an emulsifer and emollient. It comes from Isostearic Acid and Polyglycerin-3.

As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize products by preventing oils and water from separating.

This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal acne safe.

Learn more about Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Masking, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning

Ricinus Communis Seed Oil is the INCI name for castor oil.

Castor Oil helps moisturize the skin. It is rich in a fatty acid called ricinoleic acid. This fatty acid helps prevent moisture loss on the skin. This helps keep your skin soft and hydrated. Ricinoleic acid also has anti-inflammatory and pain reducing properties.

Besides hydrating the skin, castor oil is also used to hydrate hair. By keeping the hair shaft moisturized, breakage is decreased. More studies are needed to show castor oil's effective on stimulating hair growth.

Castor oil is created by cold-pressing castor seeds and then purifying the oil with heat. It was used in Ancient Egypt as fuel in lamps and to help treat eye irritation.

The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.

Learn more about Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Abrasive, Absorbent

Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.

Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.

The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.

It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.

In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.

Learn more about Silica
Abrasive, Emulsion Stabilising, Masking

Synthetic Wax is created from fossil fuels such as natural gas. It is used to enhance texture, adjust pH, and as an occlusive.

It may also be used as an abrasive ingredient to exfoliate the skin.

Synthetic Wax may not be fungal acne safe.

Learn more about Synthetic Wax
Masking, Skin Conditioning, Antioxidant

Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.

Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin鈥檚 lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.

Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.

You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.

There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.

Learn more about Tocopherol

VP/Hexadecene Copolymer is a synthetic film-forming agent. It has both water and oil loving properties, allowing it to create a flexible, even film on the skin.

This ingredient helps enhance texture, smoothness, and wear resistance in makeup products while reducing tackiness.

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