What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningTrisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
PEG/PPG-19/19 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
C13-16 Isoparaffin
Solvent
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientSilica Silylate
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
C10-13 Isoparaffin
Solvent
Silica
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Methicone
Emollient
Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Dimethicone, Isododecane, Water, Trisiloxane, PEG/PPG-19/19 Dimethicone, C13-16 Isoparaffin, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Silica Silylate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, C10-13 Isoparaffin, Silica, Glycerin, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Methicone, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, CI 77891, Iron Oxides
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDimethicone 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 DimethiconeDimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone created by modifying dimethicone with hydrocarbon side chains. Due to its large size, it does not penetrate skin. It is considered non-occlusive.
Dimethicone Crosspolymer is used to stabilize and thicken products. It also helps give products a silky feel.
Silica Silylate is a siloxane polymer, meaning it is made up of silicon and oxygen atoms. It is not soluble in water.
This ingredient is a white powder with oil-absorbing, emollient, and anticaking properties.
This 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
