What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Isohexadecane
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Propylene Carbonate
SolventTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningNymphaea Odorata Root Extract
RefreshingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Achillea Millefolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningAscophyllum Nodosum Extract
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTilia Cordata Flower Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tussilago Farfara Leaf Extract
AstringentCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Isohexadecane, Isododecane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Isononyl Isononanoate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Dimethicone, Silica, Propylene Carbonate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Nymphaea Odorata Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Achillea Millefolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract, Tilia Cordata Flower Extract, Tussilago Farfara Leaf Extract, CI 77891, Iron Oxides
Water
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientSorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Silica
Abrasive
Boron Nitride
Absorbent
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantMagnesium Sulfate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPEG/PPG-15/15 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningErythritol
Humectant
Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract
AstringentVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Isododecane, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Silica, Boron Nitride, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Magnesium Stearate, Magnesium Sulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, PEG/PPG-15/15 Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Diisostearyl Malate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Erythritol, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, CI 77891, CI 77492, CI 77491, 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.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.
Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateCi 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 77891Dimethicone 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 HectoriteIsododecane 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 IsododecanePhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolSilica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaTriethoxycaprylylsilane is a silicon-based surface modifier that makes sunscreens feel silky and makeup stay put.
Its main job is to coat mineral particles like titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and color pigments in a thin, oily layer so they spread smoothly, don't clump, and stick to skin better.
This ingredient is typically used at low levels (up to 2.5% in eyeshadow and 1% in lipstick).
Learn more about TriethoxycaprylylsilaneThis 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 Trimethylsiloxysilicate
