What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Euphorbia Cerifera Cera
Astringent
Kaolin
Abrasive
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Wax
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Thymus Vulgaris Extract
Perfuming
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Bis-Stearyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Sorbitan Tristearate
EmulsifyingIsopropyl Titanium Triisostearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantRicinus Communis Seed Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Coconut Alkanes, Silica, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Kaolin, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Wax, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Thymus Vulgaris Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Bis-Stearyl Dimethicone, Sorbitan Tristearate, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Parfum, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Isodecyl Isononanoate
EmollientSilica
Abrasive
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Isononanoate
EmollientMicrocrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingPentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Polybutene
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Iron Oxides
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientStearalkonium Hectorite
Gel FormingCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate
Emollient
Propylene Carbonate
SolventLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningArginine/Lysine Polypeptide
Skin Conditioning
BHT
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Isodecyl Isononanoate, Silica, Synthetic Wax, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Microcrystalline Wax, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, CI 77891, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Polybutene, Sorbitan Isostearate, Iron Oxides, CI 77492, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Stearalkonium Hectorite, CI 77491, Caprylyl Glycol, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Propylene Carbonate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aluminum Hydroxide, Water, Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide, BHT, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbic Acid
Reviews
Alternatives
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 77491 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a red/pink hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created Ci 77491 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77491CI 77492 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a yellow hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created CI 77492 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77492Ci 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 77891This ingredient is an synthetic emollient, emulsifier, and used as a surface treatment for pigment particles (like iron oxides or titanium dioxide).
The “triisostearate” part of this ingredient is an ester derived from isostearic acid, a long-chain fatty acid.
It "wraps" these ingredients in a form of slippery jacket so they disperse more evenly in oils, glide better on skin, and stick longer without smudging.
Human repeat insult patch tests on foundations containing this ingredient found no sensitization concerns.
Since isostearic acid is a C18 fatty acid, it falls within the carbon chain length that Malassezia can potentially metabolize. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Isopropyl Titanium TriisostearateSilica, 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
