What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Silica
Abrasive
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Iron Oxides
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Isododecane, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Silica, Dimethicone, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Polysorbate 80, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tin Oxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Iron Oxides, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningIsohexadecane
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientDiisopropyl Adipate
EmollientPEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Kaolin
Abrasive
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPolyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Isohexadecane, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Isododecane, Diisopropyl Adipate, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Disteardimonium Hectorite, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Kaolin, Sodium Chloride, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Hexylene Glycol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Citric Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
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 DimethiconeEthylhexyl Palmitate, also known as octyl palmitate, is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid. It is a fatty acid ester.
The fatty acid content of Ethylhexyl Palmitate makes it an emollient. Emollients help soften and hydrate your skin by trapping moisture within.
Ethylhexyl Palmitate is also used to help improve the texture of cosmetics. It helps other ingredient dissolve in products and help disperse ingredients more evenly.
You'll likely find this ingredient in sunscreen, as it is often used to mix UV-blocking ingredients such as avobenzone and ethylhexyl triazone.
It can also help stabilize the fragrances in a product as a fragrance fixative.
Ethylhexyl Palmitate can be used to substitute mineral oil.
Due to its high fatty acid content, it may not be fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl PalmitateGlycerin (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 GlycerinIsododecane is a fragrance, emollient, and solvent.
As an emollient, it helps your skin stay soft and hydrated. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin.
Isododecane's role as a solvent makes it a great texture enhancer. It spreads smoothly on skin and does not leave a sticky feeling behind. Isododecane also helps prevent color transfer in makeup products.
Isododecane is not absorbed into skin.
The chemical name for this ingredient is 2,2,4,6,6-PENTAMETHYLHEPTANE.
Learn more about IsododecaneSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSynthetic Fluorphlogopite is the synthethic version of mica. It consists of fluorine, aluminum and silicate.
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite is used to add volume to products.
It is considered non-irritating on the skin.
Learn more about Synthetic FluorphlogopiteWater. 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
