What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Euphorbia Cerifera Cera
Astringent
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientSilica
Abrasive
Parfum
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Wax
Skin ConditioningMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantStearalkonium Hectorite
Gel FormingIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Bis-Stearyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate
Emollient
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantCI 73360
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantRicinus Communis Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Silica, Parfum, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Wax, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Mica, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Isopropyl Myristate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Bis-Stearyl Dimethicone, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Palmitic Acid, Limonene, Linalool, CI 77891, CI 77492, CI 15850, CI 73360, CI 19140
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Polybutene
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Kaolin
Abrasive
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Silica
Abrasive
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
CI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantDiisostearyl Malate, Dimethicone, Polybutene, Caprylyl Methicone, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Synthetic Wax, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Polyethylene, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Kaolin, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Silica, Caprylyl Glycol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891, Iron Oxides, CI 15850
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 BenzoateCi 15850 is the pigment color red. It is an azo dye and created synthetically.
Azo dyes need to be thoroughly purified before use. This allows them to be more stable and longer-lasting.
This ingredient is common in foundations, lipsticks, and blushes. This color is described as brown/orangey red.
It has many secondary names such as Red 6 and Red 7. According to a manufacturer, Red 6 usually contains aluminum.
Learn more about CI 15850Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 77891Silica, 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 SilicaTocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
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.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate
