What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Glycerin
Humectant
Acrylates Copolymer
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater
Skin ConditioningParaffin
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Synthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin Conditioning
Polybutene
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer
Aminomethyl Propanediol
BufferingOzokerite
Emulsion StabilisingTropolone
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Stearyl Stearate
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Paraffin, Glyceryl Stearate, Synthetic Beeswax, Stearic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Palmitic Acid, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Polybutene, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Aminomethyl Propanediol, Ozokerite, Tropolone, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Stearyl Stearate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77499
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acacia Senegal Gum has skin soothing, thickening, and formulation stabilizing properties. It comes from the Acacia tree that is native to sub-Saharan Africa.
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.
Hydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcellulosePhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolStearic 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 AcidSynthetic beeswax is created to be identical in structure to beeswax without involving bees, making it a go-to for vegan formulas.
It's mainly used an an emulsion stabilizer and thickener.
This ingredient (alongside other synthetic waxes) have been concluded to be safe in cosmetics under the present practices.
Reported usage goes up to 18% and it is non-sensitizing.
Just one caveat for fungal acne: This ingredient is made up of C16-32 fatty acids and fatty acid esters. Part of this overlaps with the C11-24 range that the Malassezia yeast can feed on, so it's not fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Synthetic BeeswaxWater. 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
