What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantSilica
AbrasiveSynthetic Wax
AbrasiveSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentDiphenyl Dimethicone/Vinyl Diphenyl Dimethicone/Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientCetyl Dimethicone
EmollientPetrolatum
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientTriethylhexanoin
MaskingBoron Nitride
AbsorbentSaccharomyces Ferment
Skin ConditioningTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningMethicone
EmollientHydrogen Dimethicone
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientAlumina
AbrasiveTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantLauroyl Lysine
Skin ConditioningCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantMica, Silica, Synthetic Wax, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Diphenyl Dimethicone/Vinyl Diphenyl Dimethicone/Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Diisostearyl Malate, Cetyl Dimethicone, Petrolatum, Dimethicone, Triethylhexanoin, Boron Nitride, Saccharomyces Ferment, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Phenoxyethanol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Methicone, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Alumina, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lauroyl Lysine, CI 77891, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499
Octyldodecanol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientOzokerite
Emulsion StabilisingC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientSynthetic Wax
AbrasiveMicrocrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingBoron Nitride
AbsorbentDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientMagnesium Oxide
AbsorbentDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingMica
Cosmetic ColorantAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientPolyglyceryl-2 Tetraisostearate
EmollientPropylene Carbonate
SolventPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientMagnesium Hydroxide
AbsorbentTocopherol
AntioxidantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77163
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantOctyldodecanol, Dimethicone, Ozokerite, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Synthetic Wax, Microcrystalline Wax, Boron Nitride, Diisostearyl Malate, Magnesium Oxide, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Mica, Aluminum Hydroxide, Polyglyceryl-2 Tetraisostearate, Propylene Carbonate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Magnesium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, CI 77891, CI 77163, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Boron Nitride is compound consisting of boron and nitrogen. It is used to absorb oil and modify adherence/ slip in products.
This means it is often used in makeup products to help them last longer.
Ci 77491 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a red/pink hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created Ci 77491 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77491CI 77492 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a yellow hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created CI 77492 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77492Ci 77499 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It is created from mixing red and black iron oxides. This helps give shades of darkness to a product.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 77891Diisostearyl Malate is an emollient and most often used in lip products. It comes from isostearyl alcohol, a fatty acid, and malic acid, an AHA.
As an emollient, Diisostearyl Malate helps create a thin film on your skin to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin soft and smooth.
Dimethicone 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 DimethiconeMica 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 MicaJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Fungal acne: The Malassezia yeast is known to metabolize fatty acids in the C11-24 range and jojoba's dominant fatty acid components fall into this range. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilSynthetic 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.
This ingredient has a well-established safety record by the CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety.
Synthetic Waxes are straight/branched-chain hydrocarbons with no ester bond or fatty acids. That means there is nothing for the Malassezia yeast to feed on.
Learn more about Synthetic WaxTocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate