C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Explained
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:
- An emollient that softens skin
- Gives products a silky, non-greasy slip
- Solvent to help disperse pigments and dissolve oil-soluble UV filters
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.
Fungal acne
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.
See all 5,469 products with C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
