What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Isododecane
EmollientTrimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientMethyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningPolyethylene
AbrasiveParaffin
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingDextrin Palmitate
EmulsifyingMicrocrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingIsostearic Acid
CleansingSilica
AbrasiveCopernicia Cerifera Wax
Petrolatum
EmollientTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Tocopherol
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantIsododecane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Methyl Trimethicone, Polyethylene, Paraffin, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Dipropylene Glycol, Polysorbate 80, Dextrin Palmitate, Microcrystalline Wax, Isostearic Acid, Silica, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Petrolatum, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77499
Isododecane
EmollientParaffin
Skin ConditioningVp/Eicosene Copolymer
Beeswax
Emulsion StabilisingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPentaerythrityl Hydrogenated Rosinate
Cyclopentasiloxane
EmollientTalc
AbrasiveCopernicia Cerifera Wax
Polybutene
Water
Skin ConditioningSilica
AbrasiveCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolyquaternium-7
Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil
EmollientTrimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Glycerin Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningVp/Hexadecene Copolymer
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingOctyldodecanol
EmollientHoya Lacunosa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantIsododecane, Paraffin, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Beeswax, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Pentaerythrityl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Talc, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Polybutene, Water, Silica, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyquaternium-7, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Glycerin Crosspolymer, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecanol, Hoya Lacunosa Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, CI 77499
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.
Copernicia Cerifera Wax comes from a palm tree native to Brazil; another name for this ingredient is Carnauba Wax.
This ingredient is used to thicken texture and also leaves behind a film when applied.
Fun fact: This wax has the highest melting point of all natural waxes and low solubility.
Learn more about Copernicia Cerifera WaxIsododecane is a fragrance, emollient, and solvent.
As an emollient, it helps your skin stay soft and hydrated. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin.
Isododecane's role as a solvent makes it a great texture enhancer. It spreads smoothly on skin and does not leave a sticky feeling behind. Isododecane also helps prevent color transfer in makeup products.
Isododecane is not absorbed into skin.
The chemical name for this ingredient is 2,2,4,6,6-PENTAMETHYLHEPTANE.
Learn more about IsododecaneParaffin 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 ParaffinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSilica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about Silica