Acnes Derma Care Gentle Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++ Versus Acnaway Mugwort Color Correcting Sunscreen SPF 35
This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~97% of UVB at SPF 35.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingSodium Chloride
MaskingLauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Bis-Isobutyl PEG/PPG-10/7/Dimethicone Copolymer
Emulsifying
Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Zinc Oxide, Cyclopentasiloxane, Caprylyl Methicone, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Propanediol, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Dimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Sodium Chloride, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Bis-Isobutyl PEG/PPG-10/7/Dimethicone Copolymer, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Bisabolol, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
PEG-8 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Homosalate
Skin Conditioning
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Magnesium Sulfate
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyapatite
Abrasive
CI 77288
Cosmetic ColorantArtemisia Vulgaris Oil
Perfuming
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
CI 77220
Cosmetic ColorantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract
Skin Conditioning
Fructose
Humectant
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantFarnesol
Perfuming
Centella Asiatica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Saururus Chinensis Leaf/Root Extract
Antimicrobial
Taraxacum Officinale Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientStephania Tetrandra Root Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Titanium Dioxide, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG-8 Dimethicone, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Homosalate, CI 77492, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Magnesium Sulfate, Dimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyapatite, CI 77288, Artemisia Vulgaris Oil, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Aluminum Hydroxide, Disteardimonium Hectorite, CI 77491, Panthenol, Bisabolol, CI 77220, Butylene Glycol, Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract, Fructose, CI 77499, Farnesol, Centella Asiatica Root Extract, Sodium Polyacrylate, Phosphatidylcholine, Ceramide NP, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Saururus Chinensis Leaf/Root Extract, Taraxacum Officinale Leaf Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Stephania Tetrandra Root Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololCyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisteardimonium Hectorite comes from the clay mineral named hectorite. It is used to add thickness to a product.
It can also help stabilize a product by helping to disperse other ingredients.
Hectorite is a rare, white clay mineral.
Learn more about Disteardimonium HectoritePhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolTriethoxycaprylylsilane is a silicon-based surface modifier that makes sunscreens feel silky and makeup stay put.
Its main job is to coat mineral particles like titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and color pigments in a thin, oily layer so they spread smoothly, don't clump, and stick to skin better.
This ingredient is typically used at low levels (up to 2.5% in eyeshadow and 1% in lipstick).
Learn more about TriethoxycaprylylsilaneWater. 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
