What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMethyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Dimethicone
EmollientPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningTriethylhexanoin
MaskingDiphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningTrifluoropropyldimethyl/Trimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientCI 77120
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Chloride
MaskingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Dipeptide-15
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialCellulose
AbsorbentCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantTocopherol
AntioxidantThymus Serpyllum Extract
Skin ConditioningDimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Polyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientZinc Oxide
Cosmetic ColorantHydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein
Skin ConditioningDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningAlumina
AbrasiveDipropylene Glycol
HumectantWater, Methyl Trimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Triethylhexanoin, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Caprylyl Methicone, Trifluoropropyldimethyl/Trimethylsiloxysilicate, CI 77120, Sodium Chloride, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Dipeptide-15, Xanthan Gum, Chlorphenesin, Cellulose, CI 77891, Mica, Tocopherol, Thymus Serpyllum Extract, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Polyquaternium-51, Stearic Acid, Aluminum Hydroxide, Zinc Oxide, Hydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Alumina, Dipropylene Glycol
Cyclopentasiloxane
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningCoconut Alkanes
EmollientTrimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientPEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
EmulsifyingCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientDimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Cetyl Diglyceryl Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone
Emulsion StabilisingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
EmulsifyingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingHectorite
AbsorbentSodium Chloride
MaskingHexyl Laurate
EmollientDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Alumina
AbrasiveTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Tin Oxide
AbrasiveAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientCI 77163
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantMagnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Cyclopentasiloxane, Water, Caprylyl Methicone, Coconut Alkanes, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Cetyl Diglyceryl Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone, Dipropylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Hectorite, Sodium Chloride, Hexyl Laurate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Alumina, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, CI 77891, Iron Oxides, Tin Oxide, Aluminum Hydroxide, CI 77163, Mica, Magnesium Stearate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alumina is another name for the compound aluminum oxide. It is a white powder used as a thickener, absorbent, and abrasive.
As an absorbent, alumina can give a mattifying effect. It is used in mineral sunscreens to help coat nano-sized filters, such as titanium dioxide. By increasing the size of the UV filters, these ingredients stay on the skin for a longer time. By coating small sized ingredients, alumina helps thicken a product.
Alumina may be used as an abrasive, or exfoliant.
Alumina is naturally occurring in the mineral corundum. Certain varieties of corundum create rubies and sapphires. Corundum is also the crystalline form of alumina.
Learn more about AluminaAluminum Hydroxide is a form of aluminum. It can be naturally found in nature as the mineral gibbsite. In cosmetics, Aluminum Hydroxide is used as a colorant, pH adjuster, and absorbent.
As a colorant, Aluminum Hydroxide may add opacity, or reduce the transparency. Aluminum hydroxide is contains both basic and acidic properties.
According to manufacturers, this ingredient is an emollient and humectant. This means it helps hydrate the skin.
In medicine, this ingredient is used to help relieve heartburn and help heal ulcers.
There is currently no credible scientific evidence linking aluminum hydroxide in cosmetics to increased cancer risk.
Major health organizations allow the use of aluminum hydroxide in personal care products and have not flagged it as a carcinogenic risk at typical usage levels.
Learn more about Aluminum HydroxideCaprylyl Methicone is a synthetic and lightweight silicone fluid. It gives products a silky, dry-touch finish without the heaviness of pure oils.
Though the EU CosIng Database lists this ingredient as a skin conditioner, it is also used for sensory reasons. It spreads easily, cuts greasiness, and reduces tackiness.
This ingredient is volatile which means it will mostly evaporate (but it evaporates slower than older cyclomethicones, like Cyclotetrasiloxane).
Typical concentration ranges from 1-30% depending on if it's being used to tweak the feel of a product or acting as the main emollient.
Learn more about Caprylyl MethiconeChlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.
Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.
Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.
Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.
Learn more about ChlorphenesinCi 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 77891This is a silicone-based ingredient that helps create a smooth, silky, "bouncy" texture. It also acts as an emulsifier that prevents ingredients from separating in a formula.
Due to its large molecule size and water-insolubility, this ingredient is unlikely to be absorbed into skin. Irritation and sensitization tests have found reactions to silicones are considered very rare.
You'll likely see this ingredient in leave-on products at concentrations of 0.03%-3%.
Learn more about Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 CrosspolymerThis ingredient is a silicone elastomer that works as a texture enhancer, adds a silky slip, and also helps absorb excess oil.
Because it's a large macromolecule that's insoluble in water and chemically inert, it's not expected to penetrate or be absorbed into skin.
Human patch tests with a facial lotion containing 1% of this ingredient found no sensitization.
Learn more about Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone CrosspolymerDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolDisteardimonium 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 HectoriteThis ingredient comes as a powder made up of small, porous, microbeads. It is used to add a silky feel to products and also helps absorb oil.
Mica 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 MicaPeg-10 Dimethicone is silicone with conditioner and emulsifier properties. It mostly acts as an emollient in skincare and and humectant in haircare.
According to the manufacturer, acidic formulations decrease the stability of this ingredient. It works best in neutral or near neutral formulations.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Chances 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 ChlorideStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
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.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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