What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 15%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 10%
UV Absorber
Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate
Emollient
Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientPolyethylene
Abrasive
Isohexadecane
EmollientButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Ozokerite
Emulsion StabilisingParaffin
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialVp/Eicosene Copolymer
Neopentyl Glycol Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Diethylhexyl 2,6-Naphthalate
EmollientStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Parfum
Masking
BHT
Antioxidant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 15%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 10%, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Polyethylene, Isohexadecane, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Ozokerite, Paraffin, Synthetic Beeswax, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Neopentyl Glycol Diisostearate, Dimethicone, Diethylhexyl 2,6-Naphthalate, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Parfum, BHT
Titanium Dioxide 6%
Cosmetic Colorant
Zinc Oxide 4.7%
Cosmetic Colorant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate
Emollient
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningEuphorbia Cerifera Wax
Ozokerite
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientStearic Acid
Cleansing
BHT
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTitanium Dioxide 6%, Zinc Oxide 4.7%, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Paraffin, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Ozokerite, Dimethicone, Beeswax, Polyethylene, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, BHT, Carbomer, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Isostearic Acid, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTButyloctyl Salicylate is a chemical UV filter structurally similar to octisalate. It is a photostabilizer, SPF booster, emollient and solvent. This ingredient helps evenly spread out ingredients.
According to a manufacturer, it is suitable for pairing with micro Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, and pigments.
Photostabilizers help stabilize UV-filters and prevents them from degrading quickly.
Learn more about Butyloctyl SalicylateC12-15 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 BenzoateDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeNeopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate is an emollient and texture enhancer. Emollients help hydrate the skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier prevents moisture from escaping, keeping the skin hydrated.
It is the diester of neopentyl glycol and 2-ethylhexanoic acid.
Ozokerite is a naturally occuring mineral wax. In cosmetics, ozokerite is used as a texture enhancer.
Ceresin wax is derived from this ingredient.
The melting point of ozokerite is 58-100 C.
Ozokerite is found all over the world including Scotland, the US, and India.
Learn more about OzokeriteParaffin is a solid wax that pulls its weight as an emollient, occlusive, and consistency-booster.
It softens skin and lays down a protective film to slow water loss and gives products a stable body and structure.
The cosmetic grade stuff is highly refined with a solid safety record. The CIR Expert Panel has repeatedly reaffirmed this ingredient to be safe in current practices of use and concentration.
The worry about carcinogenic compounds only applies to industrial grades, not the purified version used in skincare.
Despite its reputation, the highly reformed form is non-comedogenic and doesn't penetrate deeply into skin.
The good news for fungal-acne prone folks: the Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids and lipids and paraffin doesn't contain any of these (so there's nothing for the yeast to metabolize). This ingredient is considered fungal acne safe.
Learn more about ParaffinPolyethylene is a synthetic ingredient that helps the skin retain moisture. It is a polymer.
It is also typically used within product formulations to help bind solid ingredients together and thicken oil-based ingredients. When added to balms and emulsions, it helps increase the melting point temperature.
