What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCopernicia Cerifera Wax
Stearic Acid
CleansingHydrogenated Jojoba Oil
AbrasiveGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantOryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin ConditioningOleic/Linoleic/Linolenic Polyglycerides
EmollientShorea Robusta Resin
TonicOctyldodecanol
EmollientSr-Hydrozoan Polypeptide-1
HumectantCellulose
AbsorbentPectin
Emulsion StabilisingHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Stearic Acid, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Glycerin, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Oleic/Linoleic/Linolenic Polyglycerides, Shorea Robusta Resin, Octyldodecanol, Sr-Hydrozoan Polypeptide-1, Cellulose, Pectin, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Xanthan Gum, Aminomethyl Propanol, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientCopernicia Cerifera Wax
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientAcrylates Copolymer
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientPropanediol
SolventSynthetic Wax
AbrasiveTocopherol
AntioxidantCeteth-10 Phosphate
CleansingDicetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Microcrystalline Wax, Cetearyl Alcohol, Acrylates Copolymer, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Propanediol, Synthetic Wax, Tocopherol, Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Dicetyl Phosphate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, CI 77499
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ci 77499 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It is created from mixing red and black iron oxides. This helps give shades of darkness to a product.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Copernicia Cerifera Wax comes from a palm tree native to Brazil; another name for this ingredient is Carnauba Wax.
This ingredient is used to thicken texture and also leaves behind a film when applied.
Fun fact: This wax has the highest melting point of all natural waxes and low solubility.
Learn more about Copernicia Cerifera WaxEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolWater. 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