What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Titanium Dioxide 5%
Cosmetic Colorant
Zinc Oxide 15%
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialIsohexadecane
EmollientIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientEthylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethylhexanoin
MaskingSilica
Abrasive
Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientStearic Acid
Cleansing
Aluminum Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingAlumina
Abrasive
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Propylene Carbonate
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cassia Alata Leaf Extract
AstringentMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Titanium Dioxide 5%, Zinc Oxide 15%, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Isohexadecane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dicaprylyl Ether, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Triethylhexanoin, Silica, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Aluminum Stearate, Chlorphenesin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Alumina, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Tocopherol, P-Anisic Acid, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Propylene Carbonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cassia Alata Leaf Extract, Maltodextrin
Homosalate 10%
Skin Conditioning
Benzophenone-3 6%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 2.7%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
PPG-15 Stearyl Ether Benzoate
EmollientMannitol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentPisum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningCassia Alata Leaf Extract
AstringentYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentHydrolyzed Adansonia Digitata Extract
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Platanus Occidentalis Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingCitric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Homosalate 10%, Benzophenone-3 6%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Octocrylene 2.7%, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether Benzoate, Mannitol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Parfum, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Glucoside, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Tocopherol, Cyclodextrin, Pisum Sativum Extract, Cassia Alata Leaf Extract, Yeast Extract, Dextrin, Hydrolyzed Adansonia Digitata Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Platanus Occidentalis Bark Extract, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol
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 BenzoateWe don't have a description for Cassia Alata Leaf Extract yet.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Tocopherol 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 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
