Skin science article
DRMTLGY Physical Tinted Moisturizer SPF 44 Versus Tarte Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer
DRMTLGY Physical Tinted Moisturizer SPF 44 Versus Tarte Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer This mineral sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 44. What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-side Zinc Oxide 1
DRMTLGY Physical Tinted Moisturizer SPF 44 Versus Tarte Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer
This mineral sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 44.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zinc Oxide 10%
Titanium Dioxide 5.5%
Water
Cyclopentasiloxane
Caprylyl Methicone
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Glycerin
Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate
Dimethicone
Alumina
Sodium Chloride
Sodium Hyaluronate
Tocopherol
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Methicone
Disteardimonium Hectorite
Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Hexyl Dimethicone
Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Propylene Carbonate
1,2-Hexanediol
Caprylyl Glycol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Phenoxyethanol
CI 77492
CI 77491
CI 77499
Zinc Oxide 10%, Titanium Dioxide 5.5%, Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Caprylyl Methicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Dimethicone, Alumina, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Methicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Hexyl Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Propylene Carbonate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Aluminum Hydroxide
Stearic Acid
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Kaolin
Phytantriol
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Retinyl Palmitate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Butylene Glycol
Octyldodecanol
Boron Nitride
Palmitic Acid
Dextrin Palmitate
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Hexylene Glycol
Mica
Iron Oxides
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Glycerin, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Kaolin, Phytantriol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Butylene Glycol, Methicone, Octyldodecanol, Boron Nitride, Palmitic Acid, Dextrin Palmitate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, Iron Oxides
Reviews
Be the first to review
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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).
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.
Dimethicone 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.
Glycerin (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.
Methicone is a type of silicone and is a simpler form of dimethicone.
Silicones are used to enhance the texture of products and have emollient properties. Methicone is used to give products a silky texture and improves spreadability.
We don't have a description for Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate yet.
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.
Sodium 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.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
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).
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!