"You are amazing, this has saved me so much time when grocery shopping!"
— Austin, a user who reached out with feedback
"It's been a great tool since starting my journey! You take a pic of the nutrition/ingredients, and it'll warn you of anything questionable or not vegan. 😁"
— Ashe, a Vegan For Beginners Facebook Group member
"Use a vegan app when you go shopping, I use WhatsVegan."
— Dóra, a Vegan For Beginners Facebook Group member
Learn more
"You are amazing, this has saved me so much time when grocery shopping!"
— Austin, a user who reached out with feedback
"It's been a great tool since starting my journey! You take a pic of the nutrition/ingredients, and it'll warn you of anything questionable or not vegan. 😁"
— Ashe, a Vegan For Beginners Facebook Group member
"Use a vegan app when you go shopping, I use WhatsVegan."
— Dóra, a Vegan For Beginners Facebook Group member
So, what is c12-15 alkyl benzoate?
C12-15 alkyl benzoate is a synthetic ester formed by combining benzoic acid with a blend of straight-chain alcohols containing 12 to 15 carbon atoms. It functions primarily as an emollient, solvent, and texture-enhancing agent. This ingredient is most frequently found in personal care and cosmetic products, including sunscreens, moisturizers, antiperspirants, and lip balms, where it improves spreadability and provides a light, non-greasy finish.
The substance is produced through industrial esterification using entirely non-animal raw materials. The fatty alcohols are derived either from petrochemical feedstocks or from plant-based oils, such as coconut or palm oil. The benzoic acid component is synthesized commercially, typically from toluene derived from petroleum. Because the manufacturing process relies entirely on synthetic and plant-derived chemicals with no animal-derived inputs or processing aids, C12-15 alkyl benzoate is vegan.
We've built a vegan ingredients scanner that classifies food ingredients as "vegan", "non-vegan", or "potentially vegan".
It allows you to avoid non-vegan ingredients - just take a picture of a product's ingredient list, and the app tells you if the product is vegan or not.