Barrier

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

INCI · C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Revelika safety grade

Overview

An ester emollient built from benzoic acid and medium-chain fatty alcohols. It is unusually good at dissolving other ingredients, so besides softening skin it often serves as the solvent that keeps a sunscreen's filters or a foundation's pigments evenly dispersed.

Who it's for

Sunscreens, foundations and lightweight lotions where a formula needs both a dry, non-greasy feel and real solvent power.

Cautions

It is a formulation ingredient with no independent action on skin. Its solvency is part of why some sunscreens feel elegant, and also why the same filter can feel entirely different between two products with similar SPF labels.

Suitability
Suits skin type
Dry Oily Combination Sensitive Acne-prone Mature Normal
Targets
Concentration
Concentration0 – 10%
Effective from
Max safe
In the glossary
Frequently asked
What does C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate do in skincare?

An ester emollient built from benzoic acid and medium-chain fatty alcohols. It is unusually good at dissolving other ingredients, so besides softening skin it often serves as the solvent that keeps a sunscreen's filters or a foundation's pigments evenly dispersed.

Is C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate considered safe for skin?

It is a formulation ingredient with no independent action on skin. Its solvency is part of why some sunscreens feel elegant, and also why the same filter can feel entirely different between two products with similar SPF labels.

RRevelika

A science-forward beauty ingredient encyclopedia. Every entry is written from published research and graded conservatively before it publishes.

Editorial standard

Content is educational, not medical advice. When evidence is uncertain we say so — and we default to caution on pregnancy safety.

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