What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate/Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer
EmollientSqualane
Emollient
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Dibehenate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrated Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningDehydroxanthan Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingWater, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Phospholipids, Polysorbate 80, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Decyl Glucoside, Propylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate/Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer, Squalane, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Sodium Carbomer, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrated Silica, Sodium Gluconate, Dehydroxanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine
Water
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialIsostearic Acid
Cleansing
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer
Silica
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventDidecyldimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-80
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Water, Zinc Oxide, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Isostearic Acid, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Caprylyl Methicone, PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Silica, Glycerin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Caprylyl Glycol, Methylpropanediol, Didecyldimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-80, Xanthan Gum, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
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 BenzoateGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
