What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Cyclopentasiloxane
EmollientDiphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningLauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone
EmulsifyingPolyisobutene
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantIsopropyl Titanium Triisostearate
EmollientTriethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPropylene Carbonate
SolventTrimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientSilica
AbrasiveDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePropanediol
SolventEvodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Canina Fruit Extract
AstringentLauroyl Lysine
Skin ConditioningPolymethyl Methacrylate
Cyclopentasiloxane, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone, Polyisobutene, Sodium Hyaluronate, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Water, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Silica, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Propanediol, Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Lauroyl Lysine, Polymethyl Methacrylate
Water
Skin ConditioningCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventMica
Cosmetic ColorantIsododecane
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientLauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone
EmulsifyingCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantButylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientTrimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePolymethylsilsesquioxane
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Chlorphenesin
AntimicrobialCamellia Sinensis Leaf Water
MaskingCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCoix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Water
Skin ConditioningLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientParfum
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Panax Ginseng Root Water
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, CI 77891, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Propanediol, Mica, Isododecane, Isohexadecane, Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone, CI 77492, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Chloride, CI 77491, Phenoxyethanol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Aluminum Hydroxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Chlorphenesin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, CI 77499, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Water, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Panax Ginseng Root Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopherol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneDisteardimonium 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 HectoriteGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinLauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone is a type of silicone.
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 PhenoxyethanolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideThis 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