What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
Tris-Biphenyl Triazine
UV Absorber
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Silica
Abrasive
Diisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientEthylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Bis-Ethylhexyl Hydroxydimethoxy Benzylmalonate
Antioxidant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sarcosine
Skin Conditioning
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Dibutyl Adipate, Propanediol, Tris-Biphenyl Triazine, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Silica, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Bis-Ethylhexyl Hydroxydimethoxy Benzylmalonate, Cetyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sarcosine, Decyl Glucoside, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Carbomer, Disodium Phosphate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDimethyl Sulfone
SolventC20-22 Alkyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingC20-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Methylpropanediol
SolventBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Triacontanyl Pvp
HumectantTris-Biphenyl Triazine
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
Masking
Magnolol
Antioxidant
Sodium Polyglutamate
HumectantTriethyl Citrate
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dimethyl Sulfone, C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate, C20-22 Alcohols, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Methylpropanediol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Triacontanyl Pvp, Tris-Biphenyl Triazine, Glycerin, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Magnolol, Sodium Polyglutamate, Triethyl Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sodium Hydroxide, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol, Decyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium Phosphate, Butylene Glycol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is better known as bemotrizinol or Tinosorb S and is one of the best broad-spectrum UV filters in modern sunscreen.
It works by absorbing UV light across a whole range (280-400 nm) with peaks around 310 nm (UVB) and 340-345 nm (UVA). This means it covers UVB plus the deeper UVA wavelengths that drive photoaging and pigmentation.
Another pro?
It's exceptionally photostable, barely degrades in sunlight, and acts as a "bodyguard" for less stable filters.
That's why you'll see it paired with avobenzone or octinoxate; this team up ensures they keep working through sun exposure.
Safety reviews have been reassuring across the board. This ingredient shows low absorption through the skin, rarely irritates, and lab studies found it doesn't act like a hormone in the body (a concern that's been raised about some older sunscreen filters).
On maximum concentrations:
In 2026, the US F.D.A finally added it as an OTC sunscreen ingredient at concentrations up to 6% for adults / children 6 months and older
Learn more about Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl TriazineButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDecyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is not within the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosideDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (DHHB) is a chemical UV-A absorber. It is formulated for high UVA protection (320-400 nm).
DHHB is well-liked for:
DHHB has been approved by the EU, Japan, Taiwan, and South America for use up to 10%. Unfortunately, it has not been approved for use in the US or Canada due to slow regulatory processes.
This ingredient is soluble in oils, fats, and lipids.
Learn more about Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl BenzoateDisodium Phosphate is a water-soluble powder used as a pH adjuster and mild chelating agent. It basically holds a specific pH and binds stray metal ions so your product stays stable.
This ingredient is usually used at very low levels and concentrations range from 0.000054% - 2.9%. The CIR Expert Panel states this ingredient to be non-irritating at current use levels.
Ethylhexyl Triazone (aka Octyl Triazone) is an oil-soluble organic UVB filter. It has peak absorption around 314 nm, right in the middle of the UVB range.
This ingredient is described as one of the most effective UVB filters available and small concentrations are enough to deliver a high SPF thanks to its strong UV absorbing power.
Formulators love it for its stability; its ability to filter UV stays practically unchanged even under intense radiation and it can also help boost the photostability of less stable filters like avobenzone.
It's also a great pick for water resistant products because it's insoluble in water and has a good affinity for keratin.
Because it's a big, heavy molecule, the European Scientific Committee has found to to have very low dermal penetration and negative results for allergenicity.
In vitro testing also showed a low absorption rate and clean results on irritation.
Typical use levels are 1-5% with 5% being the maximum in the EU, Japan, and other markets that allow it. However, this ingredient is not approved yet in the US or Canada.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl TriazonePentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolTris-Biphenyl Triazine (aka Tinosorb A2B) is one of the newer UV filters and is a bit of an overachiever in a very specific way.
It's the most efficient UVB + UVA-2 filter currently available on the market.
The UVA-2 gap is something that a lot of older UV filters miss; UVA-2 is a deep-penetrating, aging and pigmentation-driving, wavelength that you can't feel (it doesn't burn the way UVB does).
When paired with UVA-1 filters, Tinosorb A2B is able to give a "boosting" assist as well.
More cool things about this ingredient? It's highly photostable and has high SPF performance at low concentrations.
That photostability matters because plenty of older filters degrade as you wear them; this one stays put and even helps stabilize the other filters around it.
A 2015 study found this ingredient delivers about 2 SPF units and 1 UVA-PF unit per percentage used, with SPF and UVA protection holding steady after two hours under a solar simulator.
Safety-wise, it's been formally reviewed and cleared. Both the EU and Australia approve it as a UV filter up to 10%.
Because it has a high molecular weight, significant absorption through the skin is quite low and there has been no evidence of phototoxicity or photoallergenicity in a human study on 53 subjecfts.
You won't be able to find this ingredient in the US yet due to FDA regulatory backlog.
Learn more about Tris-Biphenyl TriazineWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
