What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantPullulan
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
Abrasive
Tetrasodium EDTA
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Iron Oxides
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Dimethicone, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Caffeine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Glycerin, Lecithin, Mica, Pullulan, Sclerotium Gum, Silica, Tetrasodium EDTA, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Iron Oxides
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Glycerin
Humectant
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingTri (Polyglyceryl-3/Lauryl) Hydrogenated Trilinoleate
EmulsifyingSilica
Abrasive
Stearalkonium Bentonite
Gel FormingCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantPropylene Carbonate
SolventTocopherol
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Methicone
Emollient
Pantolactone
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Glycerin, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Sodium Chloride, Tri (Polyglyceryl-3/Lauryl) Hydrogenated Trilinoleate, Silica, Stearalkonium Bentonite, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Mica, Propylene Carbonate, Tocopherol, Panthenol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Sodium Benzoate, Chlorphenesin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Methicone, Pantolactone, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, 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.
This ingredient is a silicone-based emulsifer that helps the water and oil phases play nicely together. It's so effective because one end of the molecule loves oil and the other one loves water.
Besides holding formulas together, it also leaves a silky and lightweight feel on skin without the greasiness. A manufacturer also claims it can help with the controlled release of active ingredients.
The CIR Expert Panel found this ingredient to not be sensitizing in concentrations up to 15% in human maximazation testing and dimethicone-based compounds were not comedogenic.
It has a high molecular weight well above 1,000 g/mol which means it limits meaningful skin penetration.
A 2019 study specifically tested this ingredient and found no observable Malassezia growth in its presence.
Learn more about Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinMica 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 MicaSilica, 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 SilicaChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideTriethoxycaprylylsilane 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 TrimethylsiloxysilicateWater. 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
