What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDibutyl Adipate
EmollientIsoamyl P-Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Polysilicone-15
UV Filter
Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate
Emollient
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningCoptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentPolyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion Stabilising
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Sophora Flavescens Root Extract
Antioxidant
Angelica Gigas Root Extract
Skin ConditioningMorus Alba Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningCimicifuga Racemosa Root Extract
Antimicrobial
Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPhellinus Linteus Extract
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Glycyrrhizate
MaskingCollagen
Moisturising
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Nonapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Dipeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Water, Zinc Oxide, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dibutyl Adipate, Isoamyl P-Methoxycinnamate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Niacinamide, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Polysilicone-15, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Silica, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Hydroxyacetophenone, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Cellulose Gum, Adenosine, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, Angelica Gigas Root Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Cimicifuga Racemosa Root Extract, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Squalane, Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract, Methyl Glycyrrhizate, Collagen, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Nonapeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Dipeptide-2, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Cyclotetrasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingCeteareth-12
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientDimethicone/Methicone Copolymer
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium EDTA
Benzylidene Dimethoxydimethylindanone
Skin ProtectingWater, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Ceteareth-12, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Octocrylene, Benzyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Titanium Dioxide, Aluminum Hydroxide, Dimethicone/Methicone Copolymer, Sorbitan Palmitate, Sorbitan Olivate, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Bisabolol, Panthenol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Benzylidene Dimethoxydimethylindanone
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 BenzoateGlyceryl 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.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
