W3ll People Expressionist Lengthening Mascara Versus Tower 28 Beauty MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCopernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil
Abrasive
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Oryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Oleic/Linoleic/Linolenic Polyglycerides
Emollient
Shorea Robusta Resin
TonicAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Cellulose
Absorbent
Water, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Acacia Senegal Gum, Stearic Acid, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Palmitic Acid, Oleic/Linoleic/Linolenic Polyglycerides, Shorea Robusta Resin, Aminomethyl Propanol, Octyldodecanol, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Cellulose
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
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Aminomethyl Propanol is used to adjust the pH of products. It is also used as a base to create other organic compounds. Having a balanced pH is important for protecting your skin.
Aminomethyl propanol is safe to use in cosmetics up to 1%. It is soluble in water.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolThis ingredient comes from a palm tree native to Brazil. This ingredient is used to thicken texture and leaves behind a film when applied.
Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePalmitic 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 AcidWe don't have a description for Shorea Robusta Resin yet.
Sodium 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
