NARS Cosmetics Light Reflecting Advanced Skincare Foundation Versus Pat McGrath Labs Sublime Perfection Foundation
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC9-12 Alkane
SolventButylene Glycol
HumectantUndecane
EmollientTridecane
PerfumingIsodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPolyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-2 Diisostearate
EmulsifyingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantSynthetic Wax
AbrasiveSodium Chloride
MaskingOphiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAscophyllum Nodosum Extract
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
AntioxidantCurcuma Longa Root Extract
MaskingSilybum Marianum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientMagnesium Chloride
Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingMaris Aqua
HumectantTrisodium EDTA
CI 77120
Cosmetic ColorantAlumina
AbrasiveChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, C9-12 Alkane, Butylene Glycol, Undecane, Tridecane, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Polyglyceryl-2 Diisostearate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Diisostearyl Malate, Glycerin, Synthetic Wax, Sodium Chloride, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract, Aluminum Hydroxide, Magnesium Chloride, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Tocopherol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Citric Acid, Maris Aqua, Trisodium EDTA, CI 77120, Alumina, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, Mica, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientAlcohol
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningIpdi/Di-C12-13 Alkyl Tartrate/Bis-Hydroxyethoxypropyl Dimethicone Copolymer
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
EmulsifyingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingSodium Chloride
MaskingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientBenzimidazole Diamond Amidoethyl Urea Carbamoyl Propyl Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Cosmetic ColorantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDi-C12-13 Alkyl Tartrate
EmollientDisodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingHexyl Laurate
EmollientPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantRubus Idaeus Leaf Cell Culture
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane, Alcohol, Glycerin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Ipdi/Di-C12-13 Alkyl Tartrate/Bis-Hydroxyethoxypropyl Dimethicone Copolymer, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Sodium Chloride, Aluminum Hydroxide, Benzimidazole Diamond Amidoethyl Urea Carbamoyl Propyl Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Di-C12-13 Alkyl Tartrate, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Hexyl Laurate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Rubus Idaeus Leaf Cell Culture, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, CI 77891, Iron Oxides
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aluminum Hydroxide is a form of aluminum. It can be naturally found in nature as the mineral gibbsite. In cosmetics, Aluminum Hydroxide is used as a colorant, pH adjuster, and absorbent.
As a colorant, Aluminum Hydroxide may add opacity, or reduce the transparency. Aluminum hydroxide is contains both basic and acidic properties.
According to manufacturers, this ingredient is an emollient and humectant. This means it helps hydrate the skin.
In medicine, this ingredient is used to help relieve heartburn and help heal ulcers.
There is currently no credible scientific evidence linking aluminum hydroxide in cosmetics to increased cancer risk.
Major health organizations allow the use of aluminum hydroxide in personal care products and have not flagged it as a carcinogenic risk at typical usage levels.
Learn more about Aluminum HydroxideCi 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 GlycerinPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateChances 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 ChlorideWater. 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