What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Diisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientEthylhexyl Methoxycrylene
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGarcinia Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientLauryl Lactate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Squalane
Emollient
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Water
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantZinc Oxide, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Butyloctyl Salicylate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Carbomer, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Cholesterol, Citric Acid, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Ethylhexylglycerin, Garcinia Indica Seed Butter, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Lauryl Lactate, Phenoxyethanol, Phytosphingosine, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sorbitan Palmitate, Squalane, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Tocopherol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Water, Xanthan Gum, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialUndecane
EmollientStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Nylon-12
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Phenethyl Benzoate
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientSilica
Abrasive
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingIsohexadecane
EmollientTridecane
Perfuming
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Talc
Abrasive
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientStearic Acid
Cleansing
PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Alumina
Abrasive
Aluminum Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantBenzoic Acid
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Iron Oxides
Magnesium Sulfate
PEG-8 Laurate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Propylene Carbonate
SolventSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Dodecylbenzenesulfonate
CleansingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Isododecane, Dimethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Undecane, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Caprylyl Methicone, Nylon-12, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Phenethyl Benzoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Silica, Triethylhexanoin, Isohexadecane, Tridecane, Dicaprylyl Ether, Talc, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Alumina, Aluminum Stearate, Benzoic Acid, Benzyl Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Iron Oxides, Magnesium Sulfate, PEG-8 Laurate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Propylene Carbonate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butyloctyl 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 BenzoatePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Polyhydroxystearic Acid is a vegetable-derived soft wax made from castor oil. It's an emulsion stabilizer, thickener, and film former.
You'll likely see it in sunscreens because it helps disperse pigments and UV-reflecting minerals like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide evenly.
Depending on the concentration, it can drastically change the texture of a product from pasty solid (like lipstick) to sprayable liquid.
The CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics. The highest reported use concentration is 14.2% in lipsticks.
Learn more about Polyhydroxystearic AcidTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
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.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
