What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Palm Oil
Emollient
Synthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Ceresin
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Coconut Oil
Emollient
Polyisobutene
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-1
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Polyethylene
Abrasive
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Octastearate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantSynthetic Wax, Cera Microcristallina, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Synthetic Beeswax, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Ceresin, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Polyisobutene, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-1, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Polyethylene, C10-18 Triglycerides, Glyceryl Behenate, Polyglyceryl-6 Octastearate, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Dimethicone, Mica, Iron Oxides, CI 77891
Polyisobutene
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Synthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Hydrogenated Coconut Oil
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Ceresin
Emulsion StabilisingCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Styrene/Butadiene Copolymer
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propylene Carbonate
SolventPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantPolyisobutene, Synthetic Wax, Synthetic Beeswax, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Isononyl Isononanoate, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Ceresin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cera Microcristallina, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Hydrogenated Styrene/Butadiene Copolymer, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Carbonate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Ethylhexylglycerin, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cera Microcristallina, aka microcrystalline wax, is a petroleum-derived wax that helps thicken texture and stabilize the oils in formulas.
It also has mild occlusive properties that creates a film on skin to slow down water loss.
The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
This ingredient is refined to a cosmetic grade with high purity. It is chemically inert, stable, and doesn't clog pores (petroleum has a comedogenic rating of 0).
Malassezia feeds on fatty acids roughly in the C11-24 range and this ingredient contains none of those. Since there's no plausible food source for it here, this ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cera MicrocristallinaCeresin is a wax derived from ozokerite. It is an alternative to beeswax.
The most common process of creating ceresin is by using heat and sulfuric acid.
Ci 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 77891Hydrogenated coconut oil is an emollient and skin conditioner.
This ingredient is created by using the process of hydrogenation on coconut oil. Hydrogenation is done to prolong the shelf life of products.
Phenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolPolyisobutene is a synthetic polymer made from isobutene.
It is a film-forming agent and helps bind ingredients together.
Polyisobutene is not absorbed by the skin.
Learn more about PolyisobuteneSynthetic beeswax is created to be identical in structure to beeswax without involving bees, making it a go-to for vegan formulas.
It's mainly used an an emulsion stabilizer and thickener.
This ingredient (alongside other synthetic waxes) have been concluded to be safe in cosmetics under the present practices.
Reported usage goes up to 18% and it is non-sensitizing.
Just one caveat for fungal acne: This ingredient is made up of C16-32 fatty acids and fatty acid esters. Part of this overlaps with the C11-24 range that the Malassezia yeast can feed on, so it's not fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Synthetic BeeswaxSynthetic Wax is a manufactured hydrocarbon wax. In formulas, it works as an occlusive emollient that helps reduce water loss and improves the spreadability of products.
Research comparing synthetic wax to traditional mineral-derived products found that formulas containing it perform as well for skin hydration.
It is considered non-comedogenic and vegan-friendly.
This ingredient has a well-established safety record by the CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety.
Synthetic Waxes are straight/branched-chain hydrocarbons with no ester bond or fatty acids. That means there is nothing for the Malassezia yeast to feed on.
Learn more about Synthetic Wax
