What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialIsopentyldiol
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Bis-Octyldodecyl Dimer Dilinoleate/Propanediol Copolymer
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientCeramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Zinc Oxide, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Isopentyldiol, Squalane, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Bis-Octyldodecyl Dimer Dilinoleate/Propanediol Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sucrose Stearate, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide NP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Carnosine, Phytosterols, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dimethicone, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Dibehenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Isodecyl Salicylate
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Isostearate
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyester-7
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Silica Silylate
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSqualane
Emollient
Tribehenin
Emollient
Tridecyl Salicylate
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningAllantoin, Butyloctyl Salicylate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethiconol, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Glyceryl Stearate, Isodecyl Salicylate, Isopropyl Isostearate, Lecithin, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyester-7, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Propanediol, Silica Silylate, Sodium Chloride, Squalane, Tribehenin, Tridecyl Salicylate, Water
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Ā
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesĀ
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.
The Malassezia yeast feeds on free fatty acids and this ingredient is made up of an aromatic acid and fatty alcohols.
When this ingredient breaks down, it yields benzoic acid (which is antifungal) and fatty alcohols. Neither of these have been found in studies to be a known food source for Malassezia.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, itās technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term āoil-freeā isnāt regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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
