Skin science article
IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream With SPF 50+ Versus The Ordinary Serum Foundation
IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream With SPF 50+ Versus The Ordinary Serum Foundation What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-side Titanium Dioxide 9% Zinc Oxide 6.3% Water Phenyl Trimethicone Dimethicone Butylene Glycol Butylene Glycol Dicapryl
IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream With SPF 50+ Versus The Ordinary Serum Foundation
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Titanium Dioxide 9%
Zinc Oxide 6.3%
Water
Phenyl Trimethicone
Dimethicone
Butylene Glycol
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Cyclopentasiloxane
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Aluminum Hydroxide
Magnesium Sulfate
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Stearic Acid
Cyclohexasiloxane
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Hexyl Laurate
Calcium Stearate
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Caprylyl Glycol
Ethyl Hexanediol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Limonene
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Sorbitan Isostearate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Phenoxyethanol
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
1,2-Hexanediol
Adenosine
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil
Linalool
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Glycerin
Citral
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid
Colloidal Oatmeal
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Steareth-20
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Olea Europaea Leaf Extract
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
N-Hydroxysuccinimide
Silk Extract
Hydrolyzed Silk
Sodium Citrate
Potassium Sorbate
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Chrysin
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Citric Acid
Biotin
Titanium Dioxide 9%, Zinc Oxide 6.3%, Water, Phenyl Trimethicone, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Magnesium Sulfate, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Stearic Acid, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hexyl Laurate, Calcium Stearate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethyl Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Limonene, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Adenosine, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil, Linalool, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Glycerin, Citral, Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid, Colloidal Oatmeal, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Steareth-20, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Silk Extract, Hydrolyzed Silk, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Chrysin, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Citric Acid, Biotin
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
Disteardimonium Hectorite
Hectorite
Sodium Chloride
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Alumina
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Chlorphenesin
CI 77891
Iron Oxides
Tin Oxide
CI 77163
Mica
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
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Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aluminum Hydroxide is a form of aluminum. It can be naturally found in nature as the mineral gibbsite. In cosmetics, Aluminum Hydroxide is used as a colorant, pH adjuster, and absorbent.
As a colorant, Aluminum Hydroxide may add opacity, or reduce the transparency. Aluminum hydroxide is contains both basic and acidic properties.
According to manufacturers, this ingredient is an emollient and humectant. This means it helps hydrate the skin.
In medicine, this ingredient is used to help relieve heartburn and help heal ulcers.
There is currently no credible scientific evidence linking aluminum hydroxide in cosmetics to increased cancer risk.
Major health organizations allow the use of aluminum hydroxide in personal care products and have not flagged it as a carcinogenic risk at typical usage levels.
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.
This ingredient is a silicone elastomer that works as a texture enhancer, adds a silky slip, and also helps absorb excess oil.
Because it's a large macromolecule that's insoluble in water and chemically inert, it's not expected to penetrate or be absorbed into skin.
Human patch tests with a facial lotion containing 1% of this ingredient found no sensitization.
Hexyl Laurate isn't fungal acne safe.
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.
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate is a plant-derived, PEG-free emulsifier.
It's made by hooking isostearic acid onto a chain of glycerin units to give it a water-loving "head" and oil-loving "tail". This allows it to keep the oil and water mixed in a formula.
The highest reported concentration is about 24% in eye makeup but most suppliers recommend a level below 10%.
It has a clean track record for safety and found to be non-irritating.
Because it is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, Malassezia can potentially metabolize it (it sits in the C11-24 range that Malassezia likes). Therefore, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Stearic 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.
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!