What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Silica
Abrasive
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters
Emulsifying
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingTricaprylin
Perfuming
Glyceryl Rosinate
Perfuming
Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningBenzoic Acid
Masking
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Bentonite
Absorbent
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Seed Oil
Antioxidant
Citrus Glauca Fruit
EmollientFusanus Acuminatus Seed Oil
Antioxidant
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Fusanus Spicatus Kernel Oil
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdansonia Digitata Pulp Extract
EmollientCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Silica, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Octyldodecanol, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Beeswax, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Tricaprylin, Glyceryl Rosinate, Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract, Benzoic Acid, Triethyl Citrate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Bentonite, Glycine Soja Oil, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Seed Oil, Citrus Glauca Fruit, Fusanus Acuminatus Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Fusanus Spicatus Kernel Oil, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Adansonia Digitata Pulp Extract, CI 77891, Iron Oxides
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%
UV Absorber
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Glycerin
Humectant
Isotridecyl Isononanoate
EmollientPEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein/Pvp Crosspolymer
Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Methylparaben
Preservative
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Acrylates Copolymer
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-9
HumectantAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Trehalose
Humectant
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Iron Oxides
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%, Cyclopentasiloxane, Water, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Isotridecyl Isononanoate, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein/Pvp Crosspolymer, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Chlorphenesin, Methylparaben, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Acrylates Copolymer, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylparaben, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Panthenol, PEG-9, Aluminum Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Sodium PCA, Urea, Trehalose, Polyquaternium-51, Soluble Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide, Mica
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDisteardimonium 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 GlycerinThis 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
