What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Isododecane
EmollientCera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingC8-9 Isoparaffin
Solvent
Cera Alba
Emollient
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingCopernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Carbonate
SolventAllyl Stearate/Va Copolymer
Lecithin
Emollient
PEG/PPG-17/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Sodium Polymethacrylate
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Silica
Abrasive
Serine
Masking
2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningRayon
Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil
Abrasive
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Ethylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
Polyquaternium-10
Polyvinyl Laurate
Oryza Sativa Starch
AbsorbentIsobutylparaben
Antimicrobial
Methylparaben
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Butylparaben
Masking
Ultramarines
CI 77288
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77289
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77510
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77742
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantIsododecane, Cera Microcristallina, C8-9 Isoparaffin, Cera Alba, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Water, Propylene Carbonate, Allyl Stearate/Va Copolymer, Lecithin, PEG/PPG-17/18 Dimethicone, Sodium Polymethacrylate, Arginine, Silica, Serine, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Rayon, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Panthenol, Glutamic Acid, Ethylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer, Polyquaternium-10, Polyvinyl Laurate, Oryza Sativa Starch, Isobutylparaben, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, Ultramarines, CI 77288, CI 77289, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77510, CI 77742, CI 77891, Mica
Water
Skin ConditioningCera Alba
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearyl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Palmitate
EmulsifyingAminomethyl Propanediol
BufferingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingCetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Paraffin
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Phosphate
BufferingCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cera Alba, Jojoba Esters, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearyl Stearate, Stearyl Palmitate, Aminomethyl Propanediol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Cetyl Palmitate, Paraffin, Cetyl Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Behenic Acid, Cera Microcristallina, Disodium Phosphate, Polysorbate 60, Tocopherol, Sodium Phosphate, 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.
Cera alba is beeswax, or the wax used by bees to make honeycombs. It is a texture-enhancer and emollient. A study from 2003 found beeswax to be a stronger emollient than ingredients such as petroleum jelly.
As an emollient, beeswax helps hydrate the skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier traps moisture in.
Emulsifiers help prevent ingredients from separating. This helps create consistent texture.
The structure of beeswax is mainly long-chain alcohols and the esters of fatty acids.
There are three types of beeswax: yellow, white, and absolute. Yellow is pure beeswax taken from the honeycomb. White beeswax is created by filtering or bleaching yellow beeswax. Absolute beeswax is created by treating beeswax with alcohol. Beeswax used in cosmetics are purified.
Beeswax has been used throughout history and even in prehistoric times. Some common uses for beeswax still used today are making candles, as a waterproofing agent, and polish for leather.
Beeswax's wax esters are derived primarily from palmitic and oleic acid (C16 and C18:1). Both of these fall within the C11-C24 feeding window.
The Malassezia yeast can potentially cleave these esters and release usable fatty acids, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. However, not everyone will react to this ingredient.
Learn more about Cera AlbaCera Microcristallina, aka microcrystalline wax, is a petroleum-derived wax that helps thicken texture and stabilize the oils in formulas.
It also has mild occlusive properties that creates a film on skin to slow down water loss.
The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
This ingredient is refined to a cosmetic grade with high purity. It is chemically inert, stable, and doesn't clog pores (petroleum has a comedogenic rating of 0).
Malassezia feeds on fatty acids roughly in the C11-24 range and this ingredient contains none of those. Since there's no plausible food source for it here, this ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cera MicrocristallinaCi 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.
This ingredient comes from a palm tree native to Brazil. This ingredient is used to thicken texture and leaves behind a film when applied.
Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
