What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSilica
Abrasive
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingMagnesium Sulfate
Parfum
Masking
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientStearic Acid
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantSoluble Collagen
Humectant
CI 73360
Cosmetic ColorantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Cyclopentasiloxane, Water, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dipropylene Glycol, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Magnesium Sulfate, Parfum, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, CI 77891, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Butylene Glycol, CI 77491, Soluble Collagen, CI 73360, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Water
Skin ConditioningMethyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingLauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Magnesium Sulfate
Tribehenin
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Tribehenate/Isostearate/Eicosandioate
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Chromium Oxide Greens
Iron Oxides
Ultramarines
Water, Methyl Trimethicone, Dimethicone, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Diisostearyl Malate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Magnesium Sulfate, Tribehenin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Methicone, Glyceryl Tribehenate/Isostearate/Eicosandioate, Isododecane, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Citric Acid, Titanium Dioxide, Chromium Oxide Greens, Iron Oxides, Ultramarines
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDimethicone 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 DimethiconeDimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone created by modifying dimethicone with hydrocarbon side chains. Due to its large size, it does not penetrate skin. It is considered non-occlusive.
Dimethicone Crosspolymer is used to stabilize and thicken products. It also helps give products a silky feel.
This ingredient is a silicone elastomer that works as a texture enhancer, adds a silky slip, and also helps absorb excess oil.
Because it's a large macromolecule that's insoluble in water and chemically inert, it's not expected to penetrate or be absorbed into skin.
Human patch tests with a facial lotion containing 1% of this ingredient found no sensitization.
Learn more about Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone CrosspolymerDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTADisteardimonium Hectorite comes from the clay mineral named hectorite. It is used to add thickness to a product.
It can also help stabilize a product by helping to disperse other ingredients.
Hectorite is a rare, white clay mineral.
Learn more about Disteardimonium HectoriteEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinMagnesium Sulfate is a salt. More specifically, it is an epsom salt, or the bath salt used to help relieve muscle aches.
Despite having ‘sulfate’ in the name, it isn’t a surfactant or cleansing agent like sodium lauryl sulfate. Unlike those sulfates, magnesium sulfate doesn’t have the same cleansing or foaming properties (it's simply a type of salt).
In cosmetics, Magnesium Sulfate is used to thicken a product or help dilute other solids. It is a non-reactive and non-irritating ingredient.
One study shows magnesium deficiency may lead to inflammation of the skin. Applying magnesium topically may help reduce inflammation.
You can find this ingredient in sea water or mineral deposits.
Learn more about Magnesium SulfateThis ingredient comes as a powder made up of small, porous, microbeads. It is used to add a silky feel to products and also helps absorb oil.
Peg-10 Dimethicone is silicone with conditioner and emulsifier properties. It mostly acts as an emollient in skincare and and humectant in haircare.
According to the manufacturer, acidic formulations decrease the stability of this ingredient. It works best in neutral or near neutral formulations.
Phenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolTriethoxycaprylylsilane is a silicon-based surface modifier that makes sunscreens feel silky and makeup stay put.
Its main job is to coat mineral particles like titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and color pigments in a thin, oily layer so they spread smoothly, don't clump, and stick to skin better.
This ingredient is typically used at low levels (up to 2.5% in eyeshadow and 1% in lipstick).
Learn more about TriethoxycaprylylsilaneWater. 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
