What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Alumina
Abrasive
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Phenethyl Benzoate
Emollient
PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Nylon-12
Polypodium Leucotomos Leaf Extract
Skin Protecting
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Caffeic Acid
Antioxidant
Physalis Angulata Extract
Skin ProtectingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Melanin
Skin ProtectingCamellia Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Plankton Extract
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Isohexadecane
EmollientHydrogen Dimethicone
Phenylpropanol
Masking
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Magnesium Sulfate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Propanediol
Solvent
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Propylene Carbonate
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Panthenyl Triacetate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Ethyl Linoleate
Emollient
Oleyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Oxothiazolidine
Skin ProtectingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingPalmitoyl Hydroxypropyltrimonium Amylopectin/Glycerin Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Isododecane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Alumina, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Phenethyl Benzoate, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Nylon-12, Polypodium Leucotomos Leaf Extract, Ferulic Acid, Caffeic Acid, Physalis Angulata Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Melanin, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Plankton Extract, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Isohexadecane, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Phenylpropanol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Magnesium Sulfate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Propanediol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Propylene Carbonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Panthenyl Triacetate, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Arginine, Ethyl Linoleate, Oleyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Oxothiazolidine, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Palmitoyl Hydroxypropyltrimonium Amylopectin/Glycerin Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lecithin, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientEthylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientDistarch Phosphate
AbsorbentTapioca Starch
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Carrageenan
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
Abrasive
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Alcohol Denat., Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Dibutyl Adipate, Distarch Phosphate, Tapioca Starch, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Carrageenan, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Silica, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Alcohol
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 BenzoateWater. 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
