What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/Ethylhexyl Acrylate Copolymer
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Tromethamine
BufferingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Laureth-21
CleansingPvp
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Methylglucamine
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Phytate
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Acrylates/Ethylhexyl Acrylate Copolymer, Alcohol Denat., Glyceryl Stearate Se, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Stearic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Tromethamine, Palmitic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Laureth-21, Pvp, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Methylglucamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Sodium Phytate, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Styrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer
Polyurethane-35
Cera Alba
Emollient
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-200 Glyceryl Stearate
Ethylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Ethylene/Va Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Paraffin
Perfuming
Aminomethyl Propanediol
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Tetrasodium EDTA
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Silica
Abrasive
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77007
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 75470
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77288
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77742
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77510
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Propylene Glycol, Styrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Polyurethane-35, Cera Alba, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-200 Glyceryl Stearate, Ethylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Ethylene/Va Copolymer, Alcohol Denat., Paraffin, Aminomethyl Propanediol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Disodium EDTA, Tetrasodium EDTA, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Silica, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77007, CI 77891, Mica, CI 75470, CI 77288, CI 77742, 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.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.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.
This ingredient comes from a palm tree native to Brazil. This ingredient is used to thicken texture and leaves behind a film when applied.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinPalmitic 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 AcidPhenoxyethanol 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.
Stearic 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 AcidWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
