Skin science article
Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer Versus The Ordinary Serum Foundation
Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer Versus The Ordinary Serum Foundation What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-side Water Isostearyl Neopentanoate Dimethicone Isohexadecane Trimethylsiloxysilicate Butylene Glycol Gly
Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer Versus The Ordinary Serum Foundation
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Isostearyl Neopentanoate
Dimethicone
Isohexadecane
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Butylene Glycol
Glycerin
Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Disteardimonium Hectorite
Trehalose
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Sodium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Tocopheryl Acetate
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Propylene Carbonate
Lecithin
Laureth-7
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Dimethicone Silylate
Xanthan Gum
Dipropylene Glycol
Sodium Chloride
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Silica
Coconut Acid
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Mica
CI 77491
CI 77492
CI 77499
CI 77891
Zinc Oxide
CI 77163
Water, Isostearyl Neopentanoate, Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Trehalose, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Propylene Carbonate, Lecithin, Laureth-7, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dimethicone Silylate, Xanthan Gum, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Silica, Coconut Acid, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77891, Zinc Oxide, CI 77163
Cyclopentasiloxane
Caprylyl Methicone
Coconut Alkanes
PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Cetyl Diglyceryl Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone
Tocopherol
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Hectorite
Hexyl Laurate
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Stearic Acid
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Alumina
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Chlorphenesin
Iron Oxides
Tin Oxide
Aluminum Hydroxide
Magnesium Stearate
Cyclopentasiloxane, Water, Caprylyl Methicone, Coconut Alkanes, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Cetyl Diglyceryl Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone, Dipropylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Hectorite, Sodium Chloride, Hexyl Laurate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Alumina, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, CI 77891, Iron Oxides, Tin Oxide, Aluminum Hydroxide, CI 77163, Mica, Magnesium Stearate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This synthetic powder is used to add a pearly/white color in cosmetics.
Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
This is a silicone-based ingredient that helps create a smooth, silky, "bouncy" texture. It also acts as an emulsifier that prevents ingredients from separating in a formula.
Due to its large molecule size and water-insolubility, this ingredient is unlikely to be absorbed into skin. Irritation and sensitization tests have found reactions to silicones are considered very rare.
You'll likely see this ingredient in leave-on products at concentrations of 0.03%-3%.
Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Disteardimonium 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.
Mica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and color in cosmetics. It can also help improve the texture of a product or give it an opaque, white/silver color.
Serecite is the name for very fine but ragged grains of mica.
This ingredient is often coated with metal oxides like titanium dioxide. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.
Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.
Peg-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.
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.
Chances 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.
Triethoxycaprylylsilane is a silicon-based surface modifier that makes sunscreens feel silky and makeup stay put.
Its main job is to coat mineral particles like titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and color pigments in a thin, oily layer so they spread smoothly, don't clump, and stick to skin better.
This ingredient is typically used at low levels (up to 2.5% in eyeshadow and 1% in lipstick).
This 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.
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. Remember to stay hydrated!