What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Isododecane
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Tapioca Starch
Triethanolamine
BufferingCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Capsicum Annuum Fruit Extract
Antimicrobial
Biosaccharide Gum-4
Skin Conditioning
Chamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningBHT
Antioxidant
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Water, Propylene Glycol, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Isododecane, Glycerin, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Tapioca Starch, Triethanolamine, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide NP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Decyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Panthenol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Capsicum Annuum Fruit Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Allantoin, Sodium Gluconate, BHT, Zinc Oxide
Reviews
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 a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholZinc Oxide is a mineral broad-spectrum UV filter; it is the broadest UVA and UVB reflector approved by the FDA. It also has skin protectant and skin soothing properties.
Zinc oxide is one of the most effective broad-spectrum UV filters. It protects against UVB, UVAII, and UVAI. In comparison to its counterpart titanium dioxide, zinc oxide provides uniform and extended UVA protection.
Another great benefit? This ingredient is highly photostable so it won't degrade easily under sunlight.
A common myth is that mineral UV filters are widely believed to primarily reflect UV light.
However, modern research shows titanium dioxide absorbs UV radiation like chemical filters (~95% absorption & 5% reflection).
Zinc oxide has great skin soothing properties so you'll likely find this in sunscreens formulated for sensitive skin or babies/children. It is unlikely to cause "eye sting" like other sunscreen ingredients.
Regulatory agencies consider zinc oxide to be non-toxic and safe. It has also been shown to not penetrate the skin.
Unfortunately, this ingredient does leave a visible white cast. This is why mineral sunscreens are often less cosmetically elegant than chemical or hybrid ones.
In cosmetics, zinc oxide can be found in both non-nano and nano-sized forms. The nano version is used to reduce white cast and improve the texture of sunscreen formulas.
There are ongoing concerns surrounding nano-zinc oxide's impact on marine ecosystems and whether it can be absorbed into skin.
Regarding marine ecosystems and coral reefs, there is no conclusive evidence that any form of zinc oxide (or any other sunscreen ingredients) will cause harm. The science is still developing but many consumers are keeping a close eye on this issue.
Please note, many destinations have reef-safety sunscreen rules. For instance, the U.S. Virgin Islands advises all visitors to use non-nano mineral sunscreens.
There has also been some stir about whether micronized or nano zinc oxide has potential photoxicity and absorption through the skin/lungs.
An in-vitro (done in a test tube or petri dish) study demonstrated micronized zinc oxide to have potential phototoxicity. There's no need to fret; the EU Commission's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has stated, "The relevance of these findings needs to be clarified by appropriate investigations in vivo." Or in other words, further studies done on living organisms are needed to prove this.
Current research shows zinc oxide nanoparticles do not penetrate intact or sunburned skin. They either remain on the surface or in the outermost layer of dead skin (stratum corneum).
Zinc oxide is one of only two classified mineral UV filters with titanium dioxide being the other one.
Fun fact: Zinc has been used throughout history as an ingredient in paint and medicine. An Indian text from 500BC is believed to list zinc oxide as a salve for open wound. The Ancient Greek physician Dioscorides has also mentioned the use of zinc as an ointment in 1AD.
Learn more about Zinc Oxide
