What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCalcium Aluminum Borosilicate
Propanediol
Solvent
Chondrus Crispus
Masking
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Silica
Abrasive
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Calcium Chloride
AstringentCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Propanediol, Chondrus Crispus, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Pentylene Glycol, Saccharide Isomerate, Tin Oxide, Hydroxyacetophenone, Silica, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Calcium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Titanium Dioxide, CI 77491
Water
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantChondrus Crispus
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Calcium Chloride
AstringentCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Betaine
Humectant
PEG-20 Glyceryl Cocoate
Surfactant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Maltitol
HumectantHippophae Rhamnoides Extract
MaskingHibiscus Mutabilis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, CI 77891, Chondrus Crispus, 1,2-Hexanediol, Mica, Hydroxyacetophenone, Calcium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Betaine, PEG-20 Glyceryl Cocoate, Butylene Glycol, Glucose, Parfum, Tin Oxide, Maltitol, Hippophae Rhamnoides Extract, Hibiscus Mutabilis Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Calcium chloride is a white, odorless, crystalline solid. It is an astringent and can be used to change the viscosity of products.
This ingredient is highly soluble in water, acetic acid, and ethanol.
There are many forms of this ingredient, including monohydrate, dihydrate, tetrahydrate, and hexahydrate.
Learn more about Calcium ChlorideCaprylyl 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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolChondrus Crispus is a red algae native to the northern Atlantic ocean.
It is rich in antioxidants. The polysaccharides, peptides, and amino acid content helps moisturize skin.
Antioxidants present in chondrus crispus include lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein has the ability to filter blue light from screens.
Learn more about Chondrus CrispusHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneSynthetic Fluorphlogopite is the synthethic version of mica. It consists of fluorine, aluminum and silicate.
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite is used to add volume to products.
It is considered non-irritating on the skin.
Learn more about Synthetic FluorphlogopiteTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps prevent unwanted effects and reactions from a product. These metal ions may come from water and are found in miniscule amounts.
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate can also help other preservatives be more effective.
Tin Oxide is an inorganic oxide used to add opacity and volume to a product. In nature, it is already found in mineral form. The main ore of tin is an opaque and shiny mineral called casseterite.
Tin Oxide helps remove translucency in a product, or make it more opaque. Besides adding opacity, tin oxide is used for bulking to add volume.
Water. 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
