What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid 2.7%
UV AbsorberDimethicone
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialTrimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantPEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingSilica
AbrasiveSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Polysilicone-11
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningSilica Silylate
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingTocopherol
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientPolymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningLimonene
PerfumingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningGeraniol
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingCitric Acid
BufferingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid 2.7%, Dimethicone, Water, Isododecane, Alcohol Denat., Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Propylene Glycol, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Silica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Polysilicone-11, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Silica Silylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Tocopherol, Parfum, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Aluminum Hydroxide, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Limonene, Maltodextrin, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Lactobacillus, Geraniol, Citronellol, Citric Acid, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides
Niacinamide 2%
SmoothingWater
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Didecene
Skin ConditioningTriethylhexanoin
MaskingDiphenyl Dimethicone
EmollientSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
SolventAlcohol
AntimicrobialPolyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
EmulsifyingC9-12 Alkane
SolventDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingMagnesium Sulfate
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
EmollientMica
Cosmetic ColorantAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientTriethoxycaprylylsilane
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDimethiconol
EmollientSodium Phytate
Sodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Niacinamide 2%, Water, Hydrogenated Didecene, Triethylhexanoin, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Methyl Trimethicone, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Caprylyl Methicone, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, C9-12 Alkane, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Magnesium Sulfate, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Mica, Aluminum Hydroxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dimethiconol, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, 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.
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 HydroxideGlycerin (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 GlycerinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamideSynthetic Fluorphlogopite is the synthethic version of mica. It consists of fluorine, aluminum and silicate.
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite is used to add volume to products.
It is considered non-irritating on the skin.
Learn more about Synthetic FluorphlogopiteWater. 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