Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Avène Intense Protect SPF50+ versus Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 .
Last updated on August 14, 2023. Published on August 17, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 17 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain SPF and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening skin
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, oils, parabens or sulfates
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Sunscreen
Sunscreens help absorb or reflect UV radiation and protect skin against skin damage. Sunscreens may come in the form of lotion, gel, foam, spray, or solid-stick.
Day Moisturizer
Day Moisturizers are marketed to hydrate the skin during the daytime.
Price
Ingredient Info
Avène Intense Protect SPF50+ 27 ingredients
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 36 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Avène Intense Protect SPF50+ 27 ingredients
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 36 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Avène Intense Protect SPF50+ 27 ingredients
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 36 ingredients
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate • Caprylic Acid • Dicaprylyl Carbonate • Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate • Glycerin • Ethylhexyl Triazone • Phenylene Bis-Diphenyltriazine • Water • Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine • Potassium Cetyl Phosphate • Stearyl Alcohol • Benzoic Acid • Caprylyl Glycol • Glyceryl Behenate • Glyceryl Dibehenate • Glyceryl Stearate • Peg-100 Stearate • Polyacrylate-13 • Polyisobutene • Polysorbate 20 • Ppg-1-Peg-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether • CI 17200 • Sorbitan Isostearate • Tocopherol • Tocopheryl Glucoside • Tribehenin • Xanthan Gum
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate • Dicaprylyl Carbonate • Glycerin • Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol • Water • Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine • Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone • Diisopropyl Adipate • Dimethicone • Methyl Gluceth-20 • Silica • Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane • Zea Mays Starch • Glyceryl Stearate • Peg-100 Stearate • Potassium Cetyl Phosphate • Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer • Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract • Benzoic Acid • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Caprylyl Glycol • Decyl Glucoside • Disodium EDTA • Parfum • Glyceryl Behenate • Glyceryl Dibehenate • Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate • Propylene Glycol • Pvp • Sodium Hyaluronate • Sodium Hydroxide • Stearyl Alcohol • Tocopherol • Tocopheryl Glucoside • Tribehenin • Xanthan Gum
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is made up of Benzoic Acid and long chain alcohols. It has a low molecular weight.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is an emollient and texture enhancer. Due to its solubility, it is often used in sunscreens to help evenly distribute active ingredients.
As an emollient, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate helps soften and hydrate your skin. Emollients create a film on your skin that traps moisture within.
This ingredient has been reported to cause eye irritation.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateAvène Intense Protect SPF50+ contains this as ingredient number 1.
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 1.
Dicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.
As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Carbonate creates a film on the skin. This film traps moisture in, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
Avène Intense Protect SPF50+ contains this as ingredient number 3.
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 2.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinAvène Intense Protect SPF50+ contains this as ingredient number 5.
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 3.
Water. 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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterAvène Intense Protect SPF50+ contains this as ingredient number 8.
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 5.
You might know this ingredient as Tinosorb S or Bemotrizinol. It is a UV filter that covers both UVA and UVB rays.
Bemotrizinol has two peak UV absorption peaks ( 310 and 340 nm) and is able to absorb both UV-A and UV-B rays. Skin exposed to UV causes free-radical molecules to form. This ingredient works by preventing the UV from reaching your skin.
It is highly photostable and helps prevent the photodegration of other sunscreen ingredients such as avobenzone.
Bemotrizinol is not approved in the US but is allowed in the EU, Australia, and Asia.
In fact, it is the most effective UV absorber at maximum concentration (measured by SPF) permitted by in the EU.
It is oil-soluble.
Learn more about Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl TriazineAvène Intense Protect SPF50+ contains this as ingredient number 9.
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 6.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is the potassium salt of a mixture. This mixture consists of the esters from phosphoricacid and cetyl alcohol.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier and cleansing agent. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
As a cleansing agent, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate helps gather oils, dirts, and pollutants from your skin. This makes it easier to rinse them away with water.
Learn more about Potassium Cetyl PhosphateAvène Intense Protect SPF50+ contains this as ingredient number 10.
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 16.
Stearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients.
Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
They are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent alcohols. FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholAvène Intense Protect SPF50+ contains this as ingredient number 11.
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 32.
Benzoic Acid is used to preserve and adjust the pH of products.
The antimicrobial property of Benzoic Acid helps elongate a product's shelf life. Its main role is to reduce fungi growth and is not found to be effective at fighting bacteria. Therefore Benzoic Acid is always added along with other preservatives.
In its pure form, Benzoic Acid looks like a white crystalline solid. It has slight solubility in water.
The name of Benzoic Acid comes from gum benzoin, which used to be the sole source of deriving this ingredient. Benzoic Acid is the most simple aromatic carboxylic acid.
Benzoic Acid is naturally occuring in strawberries, mustard, cinnamon, and cloves. It has a slight scent but is not considered to be a fragrance.
Learn more about Benzoic AcidAvène Intense Protect SPF50+ contains this as ingredient number 12.
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 19.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolAvène Intense Protect SPF50+ contains this as ingredient number 13.
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 21.
Glyceryl Behenate is a fatty acid created from glycerin and behenic acid. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal acne safe.
Avène Intense Protect SPF50+ contains this as ingredient number 14.
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 25.
Glyceryl Dibehenate isn't fungal acne safe.
Avène Intense Protect SPF50+ contains this as ingredient number 15.
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 26.
Glyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.
Glyceryl Stearate is used to stabilize the mixing of water and oil ingredients. By preventing these ingredients from separating, it can help elongate shelf life. It can also help thicken the product's texture.
As an emollient, it helps soften skin and supports barrier-replenishing ingredients.
In cosmetics, Glyceryl Stearate is often made from vegetable oils or synthetically produced. The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateAvène Intense Protect SPF50+ contains this as ingredient number 16.
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 14.
Peg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Peg-100 Stearate helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. It helps prevent oil and water from separating in a product. By binding oil and water, it helps remove dirt and oil to be rinsed away.
Avène Intense Protect SPF50+ contains this as ingredient number 17.
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 15.
Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolAvène Intense Protect SPF50+ contains this as ingredient number 24.
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 33.
We don't have a description for Tocopheryl Glucoside.
Avène Intense Protect SPF50+ contains this as ingredient number 25.
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 34.
Tribehenin comes from glycerin and behenic acid.
It is used as an emollient, or moisturizer. Emollients form a thin barrier on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about TribeheninAvène Intense Protect SPF50+ contains this as ingredient number 26.
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 35.
Xanthan 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 GumAvène Intense Protect SPF50+ contains this as ingredient number 27.
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 36.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Avène Intense Protect SPF50+ 27 ingredients
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 36 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Avène Intense Protect SPF50+ 27 ingredients
Avène PhysioLift Protect Smoothing Protective Cream SPF30 36 ingredients
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