What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCentella Asiatica Leaf
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Methylal
SolventMethylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Calamine
AbsorbentStearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Arginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
PCA
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Serine
Masking
Valine
MaskingProline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
Humectant
Phenylalanine
Masking
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingInulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLactic Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium EDTA
Water, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Zinc Oxide, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Centella Asiatica Leaf, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methylal, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Calamine, Stearic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Decyl Glucoside, Allantoin, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Propylene Glycol, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 9%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 9%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingVp/Eicosene Copolymer
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 9%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%, Octocrylene 9%, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Tocopherol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
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 BenzoateSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
