What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientCetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Diethylhexyl Carbonate
EmollientDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPropylene Carbonate
SolventLauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningPolymethyl Methacrylate
Sodium Chloride
MaskingNylon-12
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTriethoxycaprylylsilane
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Diethylhexyl Carbonate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Sodium Chloride, Nylon-12, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Mica, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Magnesium Stearate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, CI 77891, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientCI 77163
Cosmetic ColorantCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantMica
Cosmetic ColorantHydrogenated Styrene/Isoprene Copolymer
Squalane
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingEthylhexyl Hydroxystearate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Chloride
MaskingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Isododecane, CI 77163, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Mica, Hydrogenated Styrene/Isoprene Copolymer, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Tocopheryl Acetate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a silicone-based emulsifer that helps the water and oil phases play nicely together.
It's pretty effective because one end of the molecule loves oil and the other one loves water.
Besides holding formulas together, it also leaves a silky and lightweight feel on skin without the greasiness. A manufacturer also claims it can help with the controlled release of active ingredients.
The CIR Expert Panel found this ingredient to not be sensitizing in concentrations up to 15% in human maximazation testing and dimethicone-based compounds were not comedogenic.
It has a high molecular weight well above 1,000 g/mol which means it limits meaningful skin penetration.
A 2019 study specifically tested this ingredient and found no observable Malassezia growth in its presence.
Learn more about Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 DimethiconeCi 77491 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a red/pink hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created Ci 77491 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77491CI 77492 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a yellow hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created CI 77492 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77492Ci 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.
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 77891Disteardimonium Hectorite comes from the clay mineral named hectorite. It is used to add thickness to a product.
It can also help stabilize a product by helping to disperse other ingredients.
Hectorite is a rare, white clay mineral.
Learn more about Disteardimonium HectoriteGlycerin (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 GlycerinMica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and color in cosmetics. It can also help improve the texture of a product or give it an opaque, white/silver color.
Serecite is the name for very fine but ragged grains of mica.
This ingredient is often coated with metal oxides like titanium dioxide. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.
Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.
Learn more about MicaPhenoxyethanol 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 GlycolChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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