Tower 28 Beauty MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara Versus Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCopernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters
Emulsion Stabilising
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Vp/Va Copolymer
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables
Skin Conditioning
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingRicinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyimide-1
Galactoarabinan
Rhus Succedanea Fruit Wax
Shorea Robusta Resin
TonicSodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Lecithin
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77007
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters, Synthetic Wax, Vp/Va Copolymer, Stearic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Palmitic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Aminomethyl Propanol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyimide-1, Galactoarabinan, Rhus Succedanea Fruit Wax, Shorea Robusta Resin, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Citric Acid, CI 77499, CI 77007
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 ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Neofinetia Falcata Callus Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
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, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Panthenol, Neofinetia Falcata Callus Culture Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, CI 77491, CI 77492, 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.
This ingredient comes from a palm tree native to Brazil. This ingredient is used to thicken texture and leaves behind a film when applied.
Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Learn more about LecithinPalmitic 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 AcidThis ingredient is also known as castor oil. It is a skin conditioning ingredient.
The star component of castor oil is ricinoleic acid, an unusual fatty acid that makes up ~80-92% of its composition.
In skincare, it is an emollient that dries down to a solid film with water-binding properties. This helps keep skin hydrated and helps reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
A 2026 dermatology review pulls together its broader uses:
Human clinical testing found this ingredient to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Because castor oil contains fatty acids in the C11-24 range, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
At this time, the literature does not support castor oil in regrowing hair. A 2022 systematic review found no strong evidence that it supports hair growth and only weak evidence that it improves hair shine.
Castor oil itself carries "perfuming" and "masking" function tags according to the official CosIng database. This is because of its mild odor and odor-dampening properties.
Learn more about Ricinus Communis Seed OilSodium Dehydroacetate is a synthetic preservative and sodium salt form of dehydroacetic acid. It stops bacteria, mold, and yeast from growing in your products at low concentrations.
Clinical testing found it to be non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-photosensitizing. It's also not significantly absorbed through skin.
There are a very small number of reported cases of contact dermatitis in cases linked to wound-care creams used over compromised skin (rather than skincare).
Overall, this is a well-studied and low-risk preservative just doing its job.
Typical concentrations run up to 0.6%, which is also the maximum amount permitted under both EU CosIng regulations and US FDA guidelines.
Learn more about Sodium DehydroacetateStearic 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 Water
