What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Benzyl Nicotinate
Skin ConditioningTribehenin
Emollient
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer
Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate
Skin Conditioning
Capsicum Frutescens Resin
CleansingAtelocollagen
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantParaffinum Liquidum, Persea Gratissima Oil, Silica, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Benzyl Nicotinate, Tribehenin, Tin Oxide, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Sorbitan Isostearate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate, Capsicum Frutescens Resin, Atelocollagen, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Glycine Soja Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Benzoate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, CI 77891
Polybutene
Phenylpropyldimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Synthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Aroma
Menthone Glycerin Acetal
Refreshing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientCalcium Sodium Borosilicate
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Saccharin
MaskingTribehenin
Emollient
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Iron Oxides
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantCI 45410
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantPolybutene, Phenylpropyldimethylsiloxysilicate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Synthetic Beeswax, Aroma, Menthone Glycerin Acetal, Phenoxyethanol, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Silica, Tocopherol, Saccharin, Tribehenin, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Tin Oxide, Sorbitan Isostearate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Iron Oxides, Mica, CI 15850, CI 45410, CI 77891, CI 19140
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 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 77891Ethylhexyl Palmitate, also known as octyl palmitate, is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid.
In cosmetics, it plays many roles:
One thing worth noting: a controlled study found this ingredient applied under occlusion to acne-prone subjects increased microcomedones. Just keep in mind this was under occlusive conditions and don't reflect how most products are used day-to-day.
For most people, this is a well-tolerated and lightweight ingredient.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it is an ester of palmitic acid, a C16 fatty acid that falls within the C11-24 range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl PalmitatePalmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.
That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.
Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.
Human clinical data is promising, but modest:
A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.
A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.
You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.
Fungal acne note:
Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
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.
Silica, 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 SilicaThis silica is mainly used to thicken oils and suspend particles in oils. It is not water soluble.
According to the manufacturer, it:
The manufacturer also claims this ingredient to be useful in makeup.
In lipstick formulations, this ingredient improves color payoff, reduces pigment settling, and reduces oil bleeding. This ingredient also improves the grip of powder products such as dry shampoos.
Learn more about Silica Dimethyl SilylateJojoba 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 OilSorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.
In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.
Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.
Learn more about Sorbitan IsostearateTin Oxide is an inorganic oxide used to add opacity and volume to a product. In nature, it is already found in mineral form. The main ore of tin is an opaque and shiny mineral called casseterite.
Tin Oxide helps remove translucency in a product, or make it more opaque. Besides adding opacity, tin oxide is used for bulking to add volume.
Tribehenin is the triglyceride of glycerin and behenic acid. It is an emollient that helps soften and condition skin.
Safety-wise, this is a well-vetted ingredient. Repeated-insult patch tests of 0.38% tribehenin did not trigger sensitization.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because behenic acid falls into the chain-length range that Malassezia yeasts can feed on.
Learn more about Tribehenin
