What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/Ethylhexyl Acrylate Copolymer
Acrylates Copolymer
Oryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters
Emulsion Stabilising
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingPvp
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEthyl Hexanediol
SolventSteareth-20
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Simethicone
Emollient
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingSodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Acrylates/Ethylhexyl Acrylate Copolymer, Acrylates Copolymer, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters, Stearic Acid, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Acacia Senegal Gum, Pvp, Tromethamine, Alcohol, Panthenol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ethyl Hexanediol, Steareth-20, Cetyl Alcohol, Simethicone, Steareth-2, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Acrylates Copolymer
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ceteth-10 Phosphate
CleansingDicetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Microcrystalline Wax, Cetearyl Alcohol, Acrylates Copolymer, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Propanediol, Synthetic Wax, Tocopherol, Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Dicetyl Phosphate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 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.
Acrylates Copolymer is used as a film-forming agent and texture enhancer.
After applied, Acrylates Copolymer forms a thin film cover that helps skin feel more soft. It can help sunscreens become more water-resistant.
It is also used to make a product more thick.
Learn more about Acrylates CopolymerCi 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.
Copernicia Cerifera Wax comes from a palm tree native to Brazil; another name for this ingredient is Carnauba Wax.
This ingredient is used to thicken texture and also leaves behind a film when applied.
Fun fact: This wax has the highest melting point of all natural waxes and low solubility.
Learn more about Copernicia Cerifera WaxEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcellulosePhenoxyethanol 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
