Natio Pure Mineral Skin Perfecting BB Cream SPF 15 Versus Paula's Choice Shine Stopper Instant Matte Finish with Microsponge Technology

Natio Pure Mineral Skin Perfecting BB Cream SPF 15 Versus Paula's Choice Shine Stopper Instant Matte Finish with Microsponge Technology

What's inside

Key Ingredients

No key ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Propylene Glycol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate

Glyceryl Stearate

Stearic Acid

Glycerin

Methylpropanediol

Triethanolamine

Magnesium Aluminum Silicate

Phenoxyethanol

Alumina

Dimethicone

Lecithin

Caprylyl Glycol

Cellulose Gum

Polysorbate 20

Propylene Glycol Stearate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract

Sorbitan Laurate

Phenylpropanol

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

Cananga Odorata Leaf Oil

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Styrax Benzoin Gum

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Propylene Glycol Laurate

Alcohol

Chamomilla Recutita Extract

Potassium Sorbate

Xanthan Gum

Citric Acid

Titanium Dioxide

CI 77891

Mica

CI 77491

CI 77492

CI 77499

Water, Propylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Triethanolamine, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Phenoxyethanol, Alumina, Dimethicone, Lecithin, Caprylyl Glycol, Cellulose Gum, Polysorbate 20, Propylene Glycol Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Sorbitan Laurate, Phenylpropanol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Cananga Odorata Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Styrax Benzoin Gum, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Propylene Glycol Laurate, Alcohol, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Titanium Dioxide, CI 77891, Mica, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499

Methyl Methacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer

Cetearyl Alcohol

PEG-100 Stearate

Myristyl Myristate

Ceteareth-20

Disodium EDTA

Benzyl Alcohol

Water, Methyl Methacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, PEG-100 Stearate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Glyceryl Stearate, Myristyl Myristate, Ceteareth-20, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

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.

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.

Magnesium Aluminum Silicate is a type of silica. It comes from naturally occuring minerals such as silicate ores and clay.

Magnesium aluminum silicate is used for enhancing texture and as an absorbent. Due to its large molecular size, it is unable to be absorbed into the skin.

Like other types of silica, this ingredient can be used to thicken a product. As an absorbent, it may be used to absorb extra water or help prevent clumping.

Although “aluminum” in an ingredient name can raise red flags for some consumers, the form and usage context matter significantly. For typical topical applications, there is no substantial evidence of health risks - such as cancer, neurotoxicity, or systemic “aluminum overload.”

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.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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