What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Diisopropyl Adipate
EmollientEthylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Oryza Sativa Starch
AbsorbentPhenylene Bis-Diphenyltriazine
Stabilising
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingC9-12 Alkane
SolventLauryl Glucoside
CleansingPolyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Tapioca Starch
Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Glycerin Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningBenzoic Acid
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Glyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Lens Esculenta Seed Extract
Skin ProtectingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether
EmulsifyingCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Phytate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Glucoside
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Diisopropyl Adipate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Oryza Sativa Starch, Phenylene Bis-Diphenyltriazine, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, C9-12 Alkane, Lauryl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Glycerin, Tapioca Starch, Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Glycerin Crosspolymer, Benzoic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Laurate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lens Esculenta Seed Extract, Pentylene Glycol, PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, CI 17200, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Zinc Gluconate
Zinc Oxide 12%
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPropanediol
Solvent
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Tridecyl Salicylate
Skin ConditioningMethylheptyl Isostearate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
Emulsifying
Nylon-12
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Methylpropanediol
SolventCoco-Caprylate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPolyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Phenylpropanol
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingZinc Oxide 12%, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Propanediol, Jojoba Esters, Tridecyl Salicylate, Methylheptyl Isostearate, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Nylon-12, Niacinamide, Methylpropanediol, Coco-Caprylate, Silica, Sodium Chloride, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Lecithin, Phenylpropanol, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Isostearic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 BenzoateCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolPolyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate isn't fungal acne safe.
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.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
