What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Zeolite
AbsorbentStearyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polydicyclopentadiene
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
CI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantCI 45410
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 75470
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantEthylhexyl Palmitate, Synthetic Wax, Zeolite, Stearyl Dimethicone, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Hydrogenated Polydicyclopentadiene, Polyethylene, Diisostearyl Malate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Mica, CI 77891, Iron Oxides, CI 15850, CI 45410, CI 19140, CI 75470, CI 42090
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Zeolite
AbsorbentStearyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 45380
Cosmetic ColorantCI 45410
Cosmetic ColorantCI 73360
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77163
Cosmetic Colorant
CI 77266
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77400
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77742
Cosmetic ColorantZinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2 is a synthetic emollient that works as a lanolin substitute.
This ingredient is a great vegan option for those avoiding animal-derived ingredients.
It mostly stays on the surface of skin where it helps hydrate due to its large molecular size and low water solubility.
Due to it being derived from fatty acids, this ingredient may not be Malassezia or fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2Ci 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 15850CI 19140 is also known as Tartrazine. Tartrazine is a synthetic dye used in cosmetics, foods, and medicine to add a yellow color.
Tartrazine is created from petroleum and is water-soluble.
Some people may experience allergies from this dye, especially asthmatics and those with an aspirin intolerance.
Learn more about CI 19140Ci 42090 is a synthetic dye created from petroleum. It is used to give a bright blue color to cosmetics, medicine, and food.
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 45410Ci 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 77891Ethylhexyl Palmitate, also known as octyl palmitate, is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid.
In cosmetics, it plays many roles:
One thing worth noting: a controlled study found this ingredient applied under occlusion to acne-prone subjects increased microcomedones. Just keep in mind this was under occlusive conditions and don't reflect how most products are used day-to-day.
For most people, this is a well-tolerated and lightweight ingredient.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it is an ester of palmitic acid, a C16 fatty acid that falls within the C11-24 range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl PalmitateMica 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 MicaStearyl Dimethicone is a type of silicone.
Synthetic Wax is a manufactured hydrocarbon wax. In formulas, it works as an occlusive emollient that helps reduce water loss and improves the spreadability of products.
Research comparing synthetic wax to traditional mineral-derived products found that formulas containing it perform as well for skin hydration.
It is considered non-comedogenic and vegan-friendly.
This ingredient has a well-established safety record by the CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety.
Synthetic Waxes are straight/branched-chain hydrocarbons with no ester bond or fatty acids. That means there is nothing for the Malassezia yeast to feed on.
Learn more about Synthetic WaxWe don't have a description for Zeolite yet.
This ingredient is a combination of red, black, and yellow iron oxide pigments. This combination of colors is usually found in foundation, because it results in a "skin" color.
The EU typically uses CI numbers for colorants when applicable, such as CI 77489. In the US, iron oxides are regulated as color additives and "iron oxides" is the most commonly used name in US cosmetic practice.
A 2021 paper looked at skincare formulations containing iron oxides and found that they reduced transmission of blue light when measured optically. In simple terms, the pigment particles helped block or scatter part of the visible light spectrum in lab testing and the authors suggest this could translate into better protection against blue-light-related skin effects.
There is also clinical and experimental research showing that tinted products containing iron oxides can reduce visible light-induced pigmentation:
Please note, whether a product reduces visible or blue light depends on things like:
In the EU's CosIng database, iron oxides are only listed as a colorant. CosIng groups ingredients by their main cosmetic role, such as colorant, preservative, or UV filter.
Though studies say iron oxides can "attenuate blue light", they're describing an optical property and not an officially recognized cosmetic function.
So CosIng isn’t contradicting the research. It’s just classifying iron oxides by what they officially are: pigments that add color.
Learn more about Iron Oxides
