What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantMethylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Diisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientPropylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDiisopropyl Adipate
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer
Isododecane
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/Polytrimethylsiloxymethacrylate Copolymer
Skin ConditioningPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Dimethicone, Ethoxydiglycol, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Diisopropyl Adipate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Isododecane, Pentylene Glycol, Acrylates/Polytrimethylsiloxymethacrylate Copolymer, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylyl Methicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Decyl Glucoside, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Propylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialZinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV Absorber
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Tapioca Starch
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Alumina
Abrasive
Simethicone
Emollient
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Caprylyl Methicone, PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Zinc Oxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Niacinamide, Tapioca Starch, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Titanium Dioxide, Alumina, Simethicone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
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 BenzoateCaprylyl Methicone is a synthetic and lightweight silicone fluid. It gives products a silky, dry-touch finish without the heaviness of pure oils.
Though the EU CosIng Database lists this ingredient as a skin conditioner, it is also used for sensory reasons. It spreads easily, cuts greasiness, and reduces tackiness.
This ingredient is volatile which means it will mostly evaporate (but it evaporates slower than older cyclomethicones, like Cyclotetrasiloxane).
Typical concentration ranges from 1-30% depending on if it's being used to tweak the feel of a product or acting as the main emollient.
Learn more about Caprylyl MethiconeCyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (DHHB) is a chemical UV-A absorber. It is formulated for high UVA protection (320-400 nm).
DHHB is well-liked for:
DHHB has been approved by the EU, Japan, Taiwan, and South America for use up to 10%. Unfortunately, it has not been approved for use in the US or Canada due to slow regulatory processes.
This ingredient is soluble in oils, fats, and lipids.
Learn more about Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl BenzoateThis ingredient is also known as Octinoxate and is one of the oldest and most widely used chemical UV filters in skincare.
It has a simple job: soap up UVB radiation (290-320 nm), the wavelengths responsible for sunburn and a big chunk of long-term sun damage.
In formulas, it's always paired with a separate UVA filter because octinoxate solely protects skin from UVB.
Because it's an oil-soluble liquid, it's easy to blend into the oil phase of lotions/creams and gives a cosmetically elegant feel.
The one quirk about formulating this ingredient is photostability; the molecule slowly changes shape into a less effective version when sunlight hits it. So the longer you're in the sun, the weaker its protection gets. The drop can be more than 30% in some formulas.
It also doesn't play nice with Avobenzone (the common UVA filter) since avobenzone destabilizes octinoxate and the two degrade each other. But don't worry: brands have solved this issue by adding photostabilizers like Tinosorb S to prevent degradation and keep SPF stable under heavy UV exposure.
The maximum allowed level is 10% in the EU and Australia, 7.5% in the US and Canada, and 20% in Japan.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics up to 10%.
One last thing worth knowing for context:
Octinoxate has been the subject of ongoing review in Europe where the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety's (SCCS) 2025 final opinion is that this ingredient is an endocrine-active substance.
Lab and animal studies suggest it can act a bit like a hormone in the body (mildly mimicking estrogen and slightly blocking male hormones). It's important to know this hasn't really been shown to happen in everyday human use.
This ingredient is also banned in Hawaii over coral reef concerns.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl MethoxycinnamatePEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer is a type of silicone.
Polymethylsilsesquioxane is a silicone used as a film forming agent.
When applied to the skin, this ingredient creates an invisible film on the surface. This film still allows oxygen to pass through, but prevents moisture from escaping. This can help condition and hydrate the skin. It also leaves a silky feel when applied.
Polymethylsilsesquioxane has not been shown to clog pores. It has been deemed safe to use up to 55%, but most cosmetics use much less.
If you have concerns about using this ingredient, we recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about Polymethylsilsesquioxane
