What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCera Alba
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearyl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Palmitate
EmulsifyingAminomethyl Propanediol
BufferingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingCetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningCetyl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Phosphate
BufferingCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cera Alba, Jojoba Esters, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearyl Stearate, Stearyl Palmitate, Aminomethyl Propanediol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Cetyl Palmitate, Paraffin, Cetyl Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Behenic Acid, Cera Microcristallina, Disodium Phosphate, Polysorbate 60, Tocopherol, Sodium Phosphate, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningBeeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PPG-17
Skin ConditioningCopernicia Cerifera Wax
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningNylon-12
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer
Triethanolamine
BufferingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
Abrasive
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Corn Starch
HumectantIsoceteth-20
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDiazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Simethicone
Emollient
Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate
Emollient
Butylparaben
Masking
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingOleamide
2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningPropylparaben
Preservative
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77007
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 75470
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77288
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77289
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77510
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Beeswax, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glyceryl Stearate, PPG-17, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Paraffin, Nylon-12, Polyethylene, Butylene Glycol, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Stearic Acid, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Triethanolamine, Palmitic Acid, Pvp, Silica, Synthetic Wax, Panthenol, Dimethiconol, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Isoceteth-20, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Simethicone, Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, BHT, Lecithin, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Butylparaben, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Oleamide, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Propylparaben, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77491, CI 77007, Mica, CI 77891, CI 75470, CI 77288, CI 77289, CI 77510
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ci 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.
Hydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcellulosePalmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.
In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidParaffin is a solid wax that pulls its weight as an emollient, occlusive, and consistency-booster.
It softens skin and lays down a protective film to slow water loss and gives products a stable body and structure.
The cosmetic grade stuff is highly refined with a solid safety record. The CIR Expert Panel has repeatedly reaffirmed this ingredient to be safe in current practices of use and concentration.
The worry about carcinogenic compounds only applies to industrial grades, not the purified version used in skincare.
Despite its reputation, the highly reformed form is non-comedogenic and doesn't penetrate deeply into skin.
The good news for fungal-acne prone folks: the Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids and lipids and paraffin doesn't contain any of these (so there's nothing for the yeast to metabolize). This ingredient is considered fungal acne safe.
Learn more about ParaffinStearic 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
