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
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDibutyl Adipate
EmollientDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Triethanolamine
BufferingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBHT
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dibutyl Adipate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Alcohol, Cetyl Phosphate, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Decyl Glucoside, Carbomer, Propylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, BHT, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
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 made up of Benzoic Acid and long chain alcohols. It has a low molecular weight.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is an emollient and texture enhancer. Due to its solubility, it is often used in sunscreens to help evenly distribute active ingredients.
As an emollient, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate helps soften and hydrate your skin. Emollients create a film on your skin that traps moisture within.
This ingredient has been reported to cause eye irritation.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinPropylene 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 GlycolTocopherol 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 Tocopherol
