NARS Cosmetics Radiant Creamy Concealer Versus Rare Beauty Always an Optimist Soft Radiance Setting Powder
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Bis-Butyldimethicone Polyglyceryl-3
Cleansing
Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Polysilicone-2
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Trisodium EDTA
Lecithin
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77163
Cosmetic Colorant
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Glycerin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Bis-Butyldimethicone Polyglyceryl-3, Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Isostearic Acid, Polysilicone-2, Aluminum Hydroxide, Maltodextrin, Trisodium EDTA, Lecithin, Silica, Tin Oxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Tocopherol, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Mica, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77163, CI 42090
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantSilica
Abrasive
CI 77220
Cosmetic ColorantC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialMagnesium Myristate
Nylon-12
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Squalane
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Mica, Silica, CI 77220, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Magnesium Myristate, Nylon-12, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Magnesium Stearate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Squalane, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, CI 19140, 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.
Mica 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 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 PhenoxyethanolSilica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolTocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate
