What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Isohexadecane
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Talc
Abrasive
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientSodium Chloride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientHydrogen Dimethicone
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Propylene Carbonate
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDimethiconol Stearate
EmollientParfum
Masking
Methicone
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Isododecane, Titanium Dioxide, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Isohexadecane, Butylene Glycol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Glycerin, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Talc, Isononyl Isononanoate, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitan Oleate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Aluminum Hydroxide, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Propylene Carbonate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dimethiconol Stearate, Parfum, Methicone, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, CI 77492, CI 77491
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Trehalose
Humectant
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Magnesium Sulfate
Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Silica
Abrasive
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientHydrogen Dimethicone
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMethicone
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Niacinamide, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Trehalose, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Magnesium Sulfate, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Silica, Sorbitan Olivate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Allantoin, Zinc Gluconate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methicone, Disodium EDTA, CI 77891, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499
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 77491 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a red/pink hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created Ci 77491 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77491CI 77492 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a yellow hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created CI 77492 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77492Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAThis ingredient is also known as Octinoxate and is one of the oldest and most widely used chemical UV filters in skincare.
It has a simple job: soap up UVB radiation (290-320 nm), the wavelengths responsible for sunburn and a big chunk of long-term sun damage.
In formulas, it's always paired with a separate UVA filter because octinoxate solely protects skin from UVB.
Because it's an oil-soluble liquid, it's easy to blend into the oil phase of lotions/creams and gives a cosmetically elegant feel.
The one quirk about formulating this ingredient is photostability; the molecule slowly changes shape into a less effective version when sunlight hits it. So the longer you're in the sun, the weaker its protection gets. The drop can be more than 30% in some formulas.
It also doesn't play nice with Avobenzone (the common UVA filter) since avobenzone destabilizes octinoxate and the two degrade each other. But don't worry: brands have solved this issue by adding photostabilizers like Tinosorb S to prevent degradation and keep SPF stable under heavy UV exposure.
The maximum allowed level is 10% in the EU and Australia, 7.5% in the US and Canada, and 20% in Japan.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics up to 10%.
One last thing worth knowing for context:
Octinoxate has been the subject of ongoing review in Europe where the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety's (SCCS) 2025 final opinion is that this ingredient is an endocrine-active substance.
Lab and animal studies suggest it can act a bit like a hormone in the body (mildly mimicking estrogen and slightly blocking male hormones). It's important to know this hasn't really been shown to happen in everyday human use.
This ingredient is also banned in Hawaii over coral reef concerns.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl MethoxycinnamateEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinHydrogen dimethicone is a silicone-based ingredient. It is mainly used to alter the texture and spread of a product without adding "stickiness".
Methicone is a type of silicone and is a simpler form of dimethicone.
Silicones are used to enhance the texture of products and have emollient properties. Methicone is used to give products a silky texture and improves spreadability.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Polyhydroxystearic Acid is a vegetable-derived soft wax made from castor oil. It's an emulsion stabilizer, thickener, and film former.
You'll likely see it in sunscreens because it helps disperse pigments and UV-reflecting minerals like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide evenly.
Depending on the concentration, it can drastically change the texture of a product from pasty solid (like lipstick) to sprayable liquid.
The CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics. The highest reported use concentration is 14.2% in lipsticks.
Learn more about Polyhydroxystearic AcidTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
