What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Dimethicone
Emollient
PEG-8
HumectantButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Silica
Abrasive
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butylene Glycol, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Dimethicone, PEG-8, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Titanium Dioxide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Tocopherol, BHT, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Homosalate
Skin Conditioning
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientMethylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Cellulose
Absorbent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Extract
BleachingHydroxytyrosol
Bleaching
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBHT
Antioxidant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Carboxyethyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Water, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Homosalate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Decyl Glucoside, Propylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Glycerin, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Zinc Oxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Cellulose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sorbitol, Lecithin, Olea Europaea Fruit Extract, Hydroxytyrosol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Caprylate, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, BHT, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Carboxyethyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexyl 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 TriazoneEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
