What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Ozokerite
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Magnesium Sulfate
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingDisodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingMethylparaben
Preservative
Acrylates Crosspolymer
AbsorbentAlumina
Abrasive
Butylparaben
Masking
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Silica
Abrasive
Chamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin Conditioning
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glycerin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Propylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Ozokerite, Phenoxyethanol, Magnesium Sulfate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Methylparaben, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Alumina, Butylparaben, Aluminum Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Silica, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, CI 77891, Iron Oxides, Mica
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Silica
Abrasive
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
Quaternium-90 Bentonite
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientHydrogenated Styrene/Methylstyrene/Indene Copolymer
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Propylene Carbonate
SolventPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Hydrogenated Styrene/Isoprene Copolymer
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil
Emollient
Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Sorbitol
Humectant
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Glycerin, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Isopentyldiol, Caprylyl Methicone, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Silica, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Propanediol, Quaternium-90 Bentonite, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Styrene/Methylstyrene/Indene Copolymer, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Propylene Carbonate, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Hydrogenated Styrene/Isoprene Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propylene Glycol, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Sorbitol, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSilica, 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 SilicaTocopherol 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
