What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantPolysilicone-11
Silica
Abrasive
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingSynthetic Wax
Abrasive
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Alumina
Abrasive
Pentaerythrityl Tetrabehenate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Tridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Tristearin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientTriisostearyl Citrate
EmollientMagnesium Myristate
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLaureth-12
EmulsifyingJojoba Esters
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax
Emollient
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Iron Oxides
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Titanium Dioxide, Caprylyl Methicone, C10-18 Triglycerides, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Mica, Polysilicone-11, Silica, Cera Microcristallina, Synthetic Wax, Cyclopentasiloxane, Alumina, Pentaerythrityl Tetrabehenate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone, Paraffin, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Tristearin, Phenoxyethanol, Aluminum Hydroxide, Triisostearyl Citrate, Magnesium Myristate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Laureth-12, Jojoba Esters, Octyldodecanol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil, Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Polyglycerin-3, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract, Tocopherol, Iron Oxides
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Dicalcium Phosphate
Abrasive
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Silica Silylate
Emollient
Nylon-12
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantEuphorbia Cerifera Cera
Astringent
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Talc
Abrasive
BHT
Antioxidant
Iron Oxides
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantOctyldodecanol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Synthetic Wax, Polyethylene, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Silica Silylate, Nylon-12, Mica, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Talc, BHT, Iron Oxides, CI 42090, CI 77891
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideMica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and color in cosmetics. It can also help improve the texture of a product or give it an opaque, white/silver color.
Serecite is the name for very fine but ragged grains of mica.
This ingredient is often coated with metal oxides like titanium dioxide. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.
Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.
Learn more about MicaOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Synthetic 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.
It has a well-established safety record by the CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety.
Learn more about Synthetic WaxThis 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
