What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingSorbitan Sesquioleate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Polysorbate 80
EmulsifyingTin Oxide
AbrasiveTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Mica, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Panthenol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 80, Tin Oxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCeresin
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientHdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantLauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSqualane
EmollientOryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin ConditioningDimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
AbrasiveTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Talc
AbrasiveButylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ceresin, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Propylene Glycol, Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Squalane, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Silica, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Talc, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891, 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.
Disodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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 WaterThis 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