What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol
UV AbsorberSilica Silylate
Emollient
Polyamide-8
EmollientDibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide
Skin ConditioningDibutyl Ethylhexanoyl Glutamide
Skin ConditioningVinyldimethicone
Aluminum Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantPolyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Astringent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Alumina
Abrasive
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningDehydroacetic Acid 0.05%
Preservative
Octyldodecanol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Titanium Dioxide, Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol, Silica Silylate, Polyamide-8, Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide, Dibutyl Ethylhexanoyl Glutamide, Vinyldimethicone, Aluminum Stearate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Alumina, Stearic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea, Panthenol, Water, Dehydroacetic Acid 0.05%
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientBenzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol
UV AbsorberCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Acrylates Copolymer
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientSilica Silylate
Emollient
Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide
Skin ConditioningDibutyl Ethylhexanoyl Glutamide
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Dextrin Palmitate
Emulsifying
Vinyldimethicone
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Mentha Viridis Extract
MaskingPinus Pinaster Bark Extract
Antioxidant
Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingKappaphycus Alvarezii Extract
Skin ConditioningBuddleja Officinalis Flower Extract
UV FilterCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningEruca Sativa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningTriticum Vulgare Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Italica Sprout Extract
EmollientMedicago Sativa Extract
TonicGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water
Skin Conditioning7-Dehydrocholesterol
Emulsion StabilisingEctoin
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Octyldodecanol, Zinc Oxide, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Acrylates Copolymer, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Silica Silylate, Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide, Dibutyl Ethylhexanoyl Glutamide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Dextrin Palmitate, Vinyldimethicone, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Centella Asiatica Extract, Mentha Viridis Extract, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Buddleja Officinalis Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Eruca Sativa Leaf Extract, Triticum Vulgare Sprout Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Sprout Extract, Medicago Sativa Extract, Glyceryl Caprylate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Tocopherol, Water, 7-Dehydrocholesterol, Ectoin, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Lactobacillus Ferment, 1,2-Hexanediol, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol, also known as Tinogard TL, is a broad-spectrum UV absorber.
It helps stabilize light-sensitive ingredients and protects other ingredients from breaking down due to light exposure (especially in transparent packaging).
This ingredient helps extend a product’s shelf life by preventing both photolytic (light-induced) and photo-oxidative degradation. It’s typically used at low concentrations, around 0.01% to 0.1%.
Despite being a chemical UV filter, this ingredient can be found in "100% mineral sunscreens". This is due to regulatory loopholes.
Learn more about Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-CresolThis is a lightweight diester (caprylic/capric acid + butylene glycol) with emollient and skin conditioning properties.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient can help add a "cushiony" oil phase without making it heavy.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.
Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateCaprylic/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%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCentella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is derived from an herb native to Southeast Asia. It is famous for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.
Centella is rich in antioxidants and amino acids, such as Madecassic Acid and Asiaticoside.
Studies show the compounds in centella help with:
The combination of all these properties makes centella effective at soothing, hydrating, and protecting the skin.
Other great components of centella include Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and Asiatic Acid.
Fun fact: Centella has been used as a medicine and in food for many centuries. As a medicine, it is used to treat burns, scratches, and wounds.
Learn more about Centella Asiatica ExtractWe don't have a description for Dibutyl Ethylhexanoyl Glutamide yet.
We don't have a description for Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide yet.
Isopropyl Palmitate is a lightweight emollient made by combining isopropyl alcohol and palmitic acid.
It is an emollient that leaves skin feeling smooth and silky without leaving a greasy feel.
Typical usage concentrations range from 1-5%.
Human testing shows it's non-irritating and non-sensitizing, and the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has cleared it at very high levels (79% in leave-on products).
The one thing worth knowing about its comedogenic score of 3-4 is to keep it in perspective: these ratings come from old rabbit-ear tests using 100% of pure ingredient and doesn't reflect how it behaves at low levels in a finished product.
Because it is an ester of palmitic acid (C16), it falls into the range that the Malassezia yeast can feed on and is considered not fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Isopropyl PalmitateOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Polyhydroxystearic Acid is a vegetable-derived soft wax made from castor oil. It's an emulsion stabilizer, thickener, and film former.
You'll likely see it in sunscreens because it helps disperse pigments and UV-reflecting minerals like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide evenly.
Depending on the concentration, it can drastically change the texture of a product from pasty solid (like lipstick) to sprayable liquid.
The CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics. The highest reported use concentration is 14.2% in lipsticks.
Learn more about Polyhydroxystearic AcidSilica Silylate is a siloxane polymer, meaning it is made up of silicon and oxygen atoms. It is not soluble in water.
This ingredient is a white powder with oil-absorbing, emollient, and anticaking properties.
Vinyldimethicone is a type of silicone.
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!
Learn more about Water
