What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDimethicone
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Potassium Aluminum Silicate
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Alumina
Abrasive
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Phenethyl Benzoate
Emollient
PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Polypodium Leucotomos Leaf Extract
Skin Protecting
Physalis Angulata Extract
Skin ProtectingMelanin
Skin ProtectingPlankton Extract
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Oxothiazolidine
Skin ProtectingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrogen Dimethicone
Phenylpropanol
Masking
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Magnesium Sulfate
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Propanediol
Solvent
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPropylene Carbonate
SolventLecithin
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Sodium Potassium Aluminum Silicate, Niacinamide, Alumina, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Phenethyl Benzoate, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Polypodium Leucotomos Leaf Extract, Physalis Angulata Extract, Melanin, Plankton Extract, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Oxothiazolidine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Phenylpropanol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Magnesium Sulfate, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Propylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Silica, Propanediol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopherol, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, Lecithin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientMethylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Diisopropyl Adipate
EmollientSilica
Abrasive
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV Absorber
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAscophyllum Nodosum Extract
Skin ConditioningBenzoic Acid
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Dibehenate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Glucoside
EmollientTribehenin
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Diisopropyl Adipate, Silica, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Alcohol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, C10-18 Triglycerides, Decyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Benzoic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Stearyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Tribehenin, Xanthan Gum
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 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 TriglycerideCaprylyl 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 GlycolPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSilica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaTocopherol 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
