What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Acrylates Crosspolymer
AbsorbentAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl 2-Glyceryl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Glycerin, Propanediol, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Octocrylene, Butylene Glycol, Ectoin, Ascorbic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chlorphenesin, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl 2-Glyceryl Ascorbate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Dimethicone
Emollient
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Cetearyl Olivate
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Triacontanyl Pvp
HumectantSqualane
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Urea
Buffering
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Lactobacillus/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningAdansonia Digitata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingHydrated Silica
Abrasive
BHT
Antioxidant
Hydrogen Dimethicone
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Dimethicone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Olivate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Titanium Dioxide, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Allantoin, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Triacontanyl Pvp, Squalane, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sorbitan Olivate, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Urea, Ectoin, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Bisabolol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Lactobacillus/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Sodium Carbomer, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Aminomethyl Propanol, Hydrated Silica, BHT, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Aluminum Hydroxide, Pentylene Glycol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinButylene 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 GlycolEctoin is a compound found naturally in some species of bacteria. It can be synthetically created for skincare use.
This ingredient is an osmolyte; Osmolytes help organisms survive osmotic shock (it protects them from extreme conditions). It does this by influencing the properties of biological fluids within cells.
When applied to the skin, ectoin helps bind water molecules to protect our skin. The water forms a sort of armor for the parts of our skin cells, enzymes, proteins, and more.
Besides this, ectoin has many uses in skincare:
A study from 2004 found ectoin to counteract the damage from UV-A exposure at different cell levels. It has also been shown to protect skin against both UV-A, UV-B rays, infrared light, and visible light.
Studies show ectoin to have dual-action pollution protection: first, it protects our skin from further pollution damage. Second, it helps repair damage from pollution.
In fact, ectoin has been shown to help with:
Fun fact: In the EU, ectoin is used in inhalation medication as an anti-pollution ingredient.
Ectoin is a highly stable ingredient. It has a wide pH range of 1-9. Light, oxygen, and temperature do not affect this ingredient.
The chemical name for this ingredient is Tetrahydromethylpyrimidine Carboxylic Acid.
Learn more about EctoinThis ingredient is also known as Octinoxate and is one of the oldest and most widely used chemical UV filters in skincare.
It has a simple job: soap up UVB radiation (290-320 nm), the wavelengths responsible for sunburn and a big chunk of long-term sun damage.
In formulas, it's always paired with a separate UVA filter because octinoxate solely protects skin from UVB.
Because it's an oil-soluble liquid, it's easy to blend into the oil phase of lotions/creams and gives a cosmetically elegant feel.
The one quirk about formulating this ingredient is photostability; the molecule slowly changes shape into a less effective version when sunlight hits it. So the longer you're in the sun, the weaker its protection gets. The drop can be more than 30% in some formulas.
It also doesn't play nice with Avobenzone (the common UVA filter) since avobenzone destabilizes octinoxate and the two degrade each other. But don't worry: brands have solved this issue by adding photostabilizers like Tinosorb S to prevent degradation and keep SPF stable under heavy UV exposure.
The maximum allowed level is 10% in the EU and Australia, 7.5% in the US and Canada, and 20% in Japan.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics up to 10%.
One last thing worth knowing for context:
Octinoxate has been the subject of ongoing review in Europe where the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety's (SCCS) 2025 final opinion is that this ingredient is an endocrine-active substance.
Lab and animal studies suggest it can act a bit like a hormone in the body (mildly mimicking estrogen and slightly blocking male hormones). It's important to know this hasn't really been shown to happen in everyday human use.
This ingredient is also banned in Hawaii over coral reef concerns.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl MethoxycinnamateWater. 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
