The Ordinary Serum Foundation Versus Ilia True Skin Serum Foundation

The Ordinary Serum Foundation Versus Ilia True Skin Serum Foundation

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

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

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

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate

Cetearyl Isononanoate

Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate

Boron Nitride

Dimethicone

Niacinamide

Oryza Sativa Hull Powder

Gluconolactone

Isopentyldiol

Glycerin

Allantoin

Sodium Benzoate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil

Squalane

Pentylene Glycol

Pistacia Lentiscus Gum

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Calcium Gluconate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract

Phenethyl Alcohol

Bisabolol

CI 77491

CI 77492

CI 77499

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Coconut Alkanes, Caprylyl Methicone, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate, Boron Nitride, Dimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Niacinamide, Oryza Sativa Hull Powder, Gluconolactone, Sodium Chloride, Isopentyldiol, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Allantoin, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Squalane, Tocopherol, Pentylene Glycol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Pistacia Lentiscus Gum, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Calcium Gluconate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol, Bisabolol, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499

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 Methicone is a synthetic and lightweight silicone fluid. It gives products a silky, dry-touch finish without the heaviness of pure oils.

Though the EU CosIng Database lists this ingredient as a skin conditioner, it is also used for sensory reasons. It spreads easily, cuts greasiness, and reduces tackiness.

This ingredient is volatile which means it will mostly evaporate (but it evaporates slower than older cyclomethicones, like Cyclotetrasiloxane).

Typical concentration ranges from 1-30% depending on if it's being used to tweak the feel of a product or acting as the main emollient.

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.

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid.

It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel.

Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture.

This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating.

Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%.

Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24).

Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne.

Coconut Alkanes is a lightweight, plant-derived emollient and solvent made from the fatty acids of coconut oil.

It spreads easily and adds a soft, silky, non-greasy slip, then evaporates rather than sinking into skin. Due to this behavior, it's prized as a natural and renewable replacement for silicones.

Typical use concentrations can go anywhere up to 20%.

The CIR Expert Panel has reviewed coconut oil and its hydrogenated derivatives and found them to be safe as used in cosmetics. It's a low-irritating and well-tolerated ingredient with no notable sensitization concerns.

Because it's a pure saturated hydrocarbon and not a free fatty acid or ester in the C11-24 range that Malassezia can feed on, it doesn't provide the lipids for Malassezia to feed on. This ingredient is generally regarded as safe for fungal acne.

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.

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.

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).

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