What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Benzophenone-3
UV Absorber
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Collagen
Moisturising
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Algae Extract
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Kojic Acid
Antioxidant
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingSodium Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentMenthol
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Hydrated Silica
Abrasive
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Benzophenone-3, Phospholipids, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Zinc Oxide, Collagen, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Algae Extract, Niacinamide, Kojic Acid, Alpha-Arbutin, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium PCA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Menthol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Hydrated Silica
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Avena Sativa Peptide
Skin Conditioning
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Niacinamide, Avena Sativa Peptide, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil, Water, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
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 also known as shea butter. It is an effective skin hydrator and emollient.
Emollients help soothe and soften your skin. It does this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
Shea butter is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may harm the body. It is also full of fatty acids including stearic acid and linoleic acid. These acids help replenish the skin and keep skin moisturized.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
Shea butter may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterGlycerin 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 GlycerinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterZinc 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
