What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Isododecane
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientMagnesium Sulfate
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingTrimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Bis-Isobutyl PEG/PPG-10/7/Dimethicone Copolymer
Emulsifying
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Propylene Carbonate
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77163
Cosmetic Colorant
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Caprylyl Methicone, Isododecane, Dimethicone, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Propylene Glycol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Magnesium Sulfate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Bis-Isobutyl PEG/PPG-10/7/Dimethicone Copolymer, Dimethiconol, Propylene Carbonate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77163
Dimethicone
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Isododecane
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Magnesium Sulfate
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingC24-28 Alkyl Methicone
Emollient
Propylene Carbonate
SolventDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Dimethicone, Water, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Silica, Glycerin, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Isododecane, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Magnesium Sulfate, Sodium Benzoate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, C24-28 Alkyl Methicone, Propylene Carbonate, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a silicone-based emulsifer that helps the water and oil phases play nicely together. It's so effective because one end of the molecule loves oil and the other one loves water.
Besides holding formulas together, it also leaves a silky and lightweight feel on skin without the greasiness. A manufacturer also claims it can help with the controlled release of active ingredients.
The CIR Expert Panel found this ingredient to not be sensitizing in concentrations up to 15% in human maximazation testing and dimethicone-based compounds were not comedogenic.
It has a high molecular weight well above 1,000 g/mol which means it limits meaningful skin penetration.
A 2019 study specifically tested this ingredient and found no observable Malassezia growth in its presence.
Learn more about Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 DimethiconeDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisteardimonium 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 GlycerinIsododecane is a fragrance, emollient, and solvent.
As an emollient, it helps your skin stay soft and hydrated. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin.
Isododecane's role as a solvent makes it a great texture enhancer. It spreads smoothly on skin and does not leave a sticky feeling behind. Isododecane also helps prevent color transfer in makeup products.
Isododecane is not absorbed into skin.
The chemical name for this ingredient is 2,2,4,6,6-PENTAMETHYLHEPTANE.
Learn more about IsododecaneMagnesium Sulfate is a salt. More specifically, it is an epsom salt, or the bath salt used to help relieve muscle aches.
Despite having ‘sulfate’ in the name, it isn’t a surfactant or cleansing agent like sodium lauryl sulfate. Unlike those sulfates, magnesium sulfate doesn’t have the same cleansing or foaming properties (it's simply a type of salt).
In cosmetics, Magnesium Sulfate is used to thicken a product or help dilute other solids. It is a non-reactive and non-irritating ingredient.
One study shows magnesium deficiency may lead to inflammation of the skin. Applying magnesium topically may help reduce inflammation.
You can find this ingredient in sea water or mineral deposits.
Learn more about Magnesium SulfatePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
This ingredient is a solvent. It helps dissolve active ingredients and alter the texture of products.
Propylene Carbonate is commonly used in makeup and with clay, such as montmorillonite or bentonite.
Studies show this ingredient to be safe for cosmetics. When it is undiluted, it can cause skin irritation. (It is always diluted in skincare and makeup). This ingredient is water-soluble.
Propylene Carbonate is created from propylene glycol and carbonic acid.
Learn more about Propylene CarbonateThis silicone is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on the skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
It is not soluble in water and helps increase water-resistance in products.
According to a manufacturer, it can blend seamlessly with silicone oils, such as Cyclopentasiloxane.
Learn more about TrimethylsiloxysilicateThis ingredient is used in makeup and skincare to thicken formulas, reduce shine, and give skin a silky-smooth feel.
It’s a white silicone powder that sits in fine lines and pores to blur their appearance though its effectiveness depends on the particle size.
You'll typically find this ingredient in amounts between 0.1-20%.
Learn more about Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane CrosspolymerWater. 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
