What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Isododecane
EmollientSilica
AbrasiveTrimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentTrihydroxystearin
Skin ConditioningPolyethylene
AbrasiveTriethylhexanoin
MaskingSorbitan Sesquioleate
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Polycyclopentadiene
Dimethicone
EmollientBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
EmollientOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentTerminalia Arjuna Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingBrassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Germ Extract
EmollientOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningAlthaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
EmulsifyingPropylene Carbonate
SolventPEG-40 Stearate
EmulsifyingOleic Acid
EmollientLecithin
EmollientSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion StabilisingWater
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingCitronellol
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingTocopherol
AntioxidantBHT
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77163
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantIsododecane, Silica, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Trihydroxystearin, Polyethylene, Triethylhexanoin, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Hydrogenated Polycyclopentadiene, Dimethicone, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Oryza Sativa Extract, Terminalia Arjuna Bark Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa Germ Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Propylene Carbonate, PEG-40 Stearate, Oleic Acid, Lecithin, Synthetic Beeswax, Water, Parfum, Citronellol, Coumarin, Linalool, Tocopherol, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, CI 77891, CI 77163, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientVinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAlanine
MaskingArginine
MaskingGlycine
BufferingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantPhenylalanine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Serine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingValine
MaskingSodium PCA
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Lactate
BufferingPCA
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexyl Laurate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCI 77163
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, Glycerin, Alanine, Arginine, Glycine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Threonine, Serine, Aspartic Acid, Valine, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Sodium Lactate, PCA, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexyl Laurate, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Sodium Chloride, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Tetrasodium EDTA, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77163, Iron Oxides, CI 77891
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 77163 is the color-index name for Bismuth Oxychloride, a lab-made white powder that acts as a pearl pigment.
It's what gives a lot of pressed powders, eyeshadows, highlighteres, and mineral foundations that soft pearly glow.
Due to its structure as flat, plate-like crystals that stack like tiles, it feels silky and sticks to skin well. This also makes it very chemically stable and insoluble under normal skin conditions (this just means it sits on top of skin rather than going into it).
It has an interesting quirk: it slowly goes gray in sunlight and the graying is partly reversible in the dark.
At this time, there's no legal cap on how much a brand can use. Both the FDA and the EU permit it without restriction so real-world concentration levels come down to formulation:
Allergy risk is low as well since it's insoluble and doesn't release free metal ions into skin. True allergic contact dermatitis to it is rare enough that there's very little published cases.
However, mineral makeup users do report itching or stinging. The leading explanation for this is irritation from those stiff platelet crystals rubbing on skin (also more likely with heavy, high-percentage loose mineral powders) rather than an immune reaction.
This ingredient shows up on a lot of "pore-clogging" lists but there's no real evidence behind that. It doesn't even have a comedogenic rating from an actual study; the numbers you'll find online come from blogs citing other blogs.
Some people still find it breaks them out. So if that's you, definitely trust your skin.
Learn more about CI 77163Ci 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 77891Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinIsododecane 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 IsododecanePhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolThis silicone is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on the skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
It is not soluble in water and helps increase water-resistance in products.
According to a manufacturer, it can blend seamlessly with silicone oils, such as Cyclopentasiloxane.
Learn more about TrimethylsiloxysilicateWater. 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