The Ordinary Serum Foundation Versus L'Oreal Infallible Total Cover 24hr Foundation

The Ordinary Serum Foundation Versus L'Oreal Infallible Total Cover 24hr 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

Dimethicone

Isododecane

Acrylates/Polytrimethylsiloxymethacrylate Copolymer

Butylene Glycol

Silica

Synthetic Fluorphlogopite

Isohexadecane

Cellulose

Isononyl Isononanoate

Pentylene Glycol

Bis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone

Magnesium Sulfate

Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Caprylyl Glycol

Silica Silylate

Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Parfum

Hexyl Cinnamal

Benzyl Salicylate

Linalool

Sorbitan Isostearate

Water, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Acrylates/Polytrimethylsiloxymethacrylate Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Silica, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Isohexadecane, Cellulose, Isononyl Isononanoate, Pentylene Glycol, Bis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone, Magnesium Sulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Caprylyl Glycol, Silica Silylate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Tocopherol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Parfum, Aluminum Hydroxide, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Sorbitan Isostearate

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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