What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Magnesium Sulfate
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
BHT
Antioxidant
Bis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone
Emollient
Citronellol
Perfuming
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Disodium EDTA
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingGeraniol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingLecithin
Emollient
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Propylene Carbonate
SolventSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Magnesium Sulfate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Salicylate, BHT, Bis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone, Citronellol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Laureth-7, Lecithin, Limonene, Linalool, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Propylene Carbonate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Xanthan Gum, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, CI 77891, Iron Oxides
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Magnesium Sulfate
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Magnesium Sulfate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Squalane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Titanium Dioxide, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolThis ingredient is a silicone-based emulsifer that helps the water and oil phases play nicely together.
It's pretty 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 DimethiconeCyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneDisteardimonium Hectorite comes from the clay mineral named hectorite. It is used to add thickness to a product.
It can also help stabilize a product by helping to disperse other ingredients.
Hectorite is a rare, white clay mineral.
Learn more about Disteardimonium HectoriteGlycerin (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 GlycerinMagnesium Sulfate is a salt. More specifically, it is an epsom salt, or the bath salt used to help relieve muscle aches.
Despite having ‘sulfate’ in the name, it isn’t a surfactant or cleansing agent like sodium lauryl sulfate. Unlike those sulfates, magnesium sulfate doesn’t have the same cleansing or foaming properties (it's simply a type of salt).
In cosmetics, Magnesium Sulfate is used to thicken a product or help dilute other solids. It is a non-reactive and non-irritating ingredient.
One study shows magnesium deficiency may lead to inflammation of the skin. Applying magnesium topically may help reduce inflammation.
You can find this ingredient in sea water or mineral deposits.
Learn more about Magnesium SulfatePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Triethoxycaprylylsilane 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 TriethoxycaprylylsilaneWater. 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 Water
