What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantDimethicone
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Perlite
AbsorbentSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCalcium Aluminum Borosilicate
Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Skin ConditioningDiisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientSilica
Abrasive
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingBis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone
Emollient
Magnesium Sulfate
Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cellulose
AbsorbentCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantDipentaerythrityl Tetrahydroxystearate/Tetraisostearate
Skin Conditioning
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantSilica Silylate
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientWater, Isododecane, CI 77891, Dimethicone, Alcohol Denat., Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Perlite, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, CI 77492, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Silica, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Bis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone, Magnesium Sulfate, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Phenoxyethanol, Cellulose, CI 77491, Dipentaerythrityl Tetrahydroxystearate/Tetraisostearate, CI 77499, Silica Silylate, Tocopherol, Aluminum Hydroxide
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 3%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Bis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Magnesium Sulfate
Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate
Emollient
PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantTalc
Abrasive
Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingDimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer
Cleansing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientRosa Gallica Flower Extract
AstringentMethicone
Emollient
Alumina
Abrasive
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Iron Oxides
CI 77163
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic Colorant
Blue 1 Lake
Cosmetic ColorantCI 45380
Cosmetic ColorantEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 3%, Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Alcohol Denat., Phenyl Trimethicone, Glycerin, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Bis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Magnesium Sulfate, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Talc, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Rosa Gallica Flower Extract, Methicone, Alumina, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, CI 77163, Mica, Blue 1 Lake, CI 45380
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying - mostly due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue, constricting pores and leaving your skin dried out.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is if this alcohol is near the end of an ingredients list, it will probably not affect your skin much.
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Aluminum Hydroxide is a form of aluminum. It can be naturally found in nature as the mineral gibbsite. In cosmetics, Aluminum Hydroxide is used as a colorant, pH adjuster, and absorbent.
As a colorant, Aluminum Hydroxide may add opacity, or reduce the transparency. Aluminum hydroxide is contains both basic and acidic properties.
According to manufacturers, this ingredient is an emollient and humectant. This means it helps hydrate the skin.
In medicine, this ingredient is used to help relieve heartburn and help heal ulcers.
There is currently no credible scientific evidence linking aluminum hydroxide in cosmetics to increased cancer risk.
Major health organizations allow the use of aluminum hydroxide in personal care products and have not flagged it as a carcinogenic risk at typical usage levels.
Learn more about Aluminum HydroxideBis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone is a type of silicone.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.
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 DimethiconeDSG is used as a surfactant.
Surfactants are cleansing ingredients that help remove oil, dirt, and other impurities from the skin. They work by reducing surface tension between water and oils/dirt to allow them to be easily rinsed away.
Magnesium 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 SulfatePeg-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.
Water. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
