What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Isodecyl Isononanoate
EmollientSilica
Abrasive
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialIsodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientOctyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate
Emollient
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Dicalcium Phosphate
Abrasive
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningNymphaea Odorata Root Extract
RefreshingCI 45410
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantIsodecyl Isononanoate, Silica, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Polyethylene, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Dicalcium Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Nymphaea Odorata Root Extract, CI 45410, CI 77891, Iron Oxides, CI 42090, CI 15850, CI 15985
Isodecyl Isononanoate
EmollientSilica
Abrasive
Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate
Emollient
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSynthetic Wax
Abrasive
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Dicalcium Phosphate
Abrasive
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 45410
Cosmetic ColorantTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Isodecyl Isononanoate, Silica, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Synthetic Wax, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Dicalcium Phosphate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, CI 77891, CI 45410, Tocopheryl Acetate, CI 42090, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil
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 42090 is a synthetic dye created from petroleum. It is used to give a bright blue color to cosmetics, medicine, and food.
CI 45410 is a synthetic red-pigment and dye.
It often goes by both Red 28 or Red 27; manufacturers label both ingredients as CI 45410.
This dye is commonly found in makeup because it imparts a vivid color. Some types of this dye change color based on pH level and interaction with moisture:
Your skin has a natural pH of around 4.5 - 5.5.
According to the FDA, CI 45410 is not permitted for use in eye products.
Red 27 is a flourescein dye and commonly used as a fluorescent tracer in medicine.
Learn more about CI 45410Ci 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 77891This ingredient is a mineral salt of calcium and phosphate. It is mainly used as a mild abrasive and sometimes used to add opacity to a formula.
We don't have a description for Isodecyl Isononanoate yet.
We don't have a description for Isodecyl Neopentanoate yet.
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil is from the seeds of the meadowfoam plant. It is a skin conditioning agent and emollient that sits on top of skin to soften and hydrate it.
Over 98% of the oil is made up of long-chain fatty acids, mostly aachidic acid (61%), docosenoic acid (~16%), and docosadienoic acid (~18%).
This combination is not really found in any other plant oil and is the reason this is one of the most stable botanical oils available.
Some studies show it to be more stable than jojoba oil, helps a product resist going rancid, and can help extend the shelf life of a formula.
It also naturally contains vitamin E and phytosterols that give it a mild antioxidant benefit.
This ingredient is typically used from around 1% to fairly high levels since it's gentle; it's well-tolerated and low on the irritation scale.
Learn more about Limnanthes Alba Seed OilThis ingredient comes as a powder made up of small, porous, microbeads. It is used to add a silky feel to products and also helps absorb oil.
Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate is an emollient ester that mostly shows up in color cosmetics.
Functionally, it works as a skin-conditioning agent and a viscosity-increasing agent. This just means it helps soften skin while also thickening water-free formulas (like powders).
Despite being a "stearate", it has a lightweight, cushiony, and non-greasy slip.
This ingredient has shown no adverse effects in testing and is deemed safe in cosmetics at current use levels.
Typical concentrations range from 0.7-23%.
Because it is made of C-18 fatty acids (like stearic acid), this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Octyldodecyl Stearoyl StearatePentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate (long name, huh?) is a synthetic antioxidant.
It is used to help stabilize other antioxidants or prevent the color from changing in a product.
As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules are capable of damaging our cells and other genetic material. Thus, antioxidants may reduce the signs of aging.
This ingredient is oil-soluble.
Learn more about Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl HydroxyhydrocinnamateSilica, 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 SilicaSynthetic 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 FluorphlogopiteTocopheryl 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 Acetate
