Banana Boat Daily Protect Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 Versus Schwarzkopf Professional Live Ultra Brights Or Pastel Hair Dye
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCeteareth-20
CleansingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingMethylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Coconut Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Methylparaben
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Polyquaternium-6
Propylparaben
Preservative
Basic Orange 31
Etidronic Acid
Basic Red 51
Ethanolamine
BufferingBehentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Litchi Chinensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMorinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingIsopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polyquaternium-37
Glycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coconut Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Methylparaben, Parfum, Polyquaternium-6, Propylparaben, Basic Orange 31, Etidronic Acid, Basic Red 51, Ethanolamine, Behentrimonium Chloride, Litchi Chinensis Fruit Extract, Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Isopropyl Myristate, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyquaternium-37, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Panthenol, Propylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Limonene, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Lauryl Glucoside, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ceteareth-20 is an emulsifier and surfactant made by reacting cetearyl alcohol with 20 moles of ethylene oxide.
This gives it both oil and water-loving properties that makes it an effect emulsifier; it's really great at pulling oil droplets into water to create a stable, creamy, and easy-to-spread base.
Typical use ranges from 0.5-30%. Most leave-on products are in the 1-10% zone.
The 20 ethylene oxide units is well above the PEG-10 threshold and therefore not a food source for Malassezia (it's fungal acne safe).
This ingredient has a comedogenic rating of 2 and an irritancy rating of 3. These numbers come from testing the raw ingredient on rabbit ears and doesn't reflect how it will behave in a finished product.
In practice, this ingredient is a well-tolerated ingredient. The ratings reflect cautious lab conditions and not real-world use. Just be sure to patch test any formulas you feel unsure about.
Learn more about Ceteareth-20Cetearyl 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 AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinMethylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.
Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.
Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.
The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.
Learn more about MethylparabenPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPropylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben with antifungal and antimicrobial properties.
This ingredient can be naturally found in plants and insects, but most of it is synthetically manufactured for human use. In cosmetics, it is usually created by reacting para-aminobenzoic acid and propanol (an alcohol).
You can usually find this ingredient in water-based products.
Parabens have come under controversy due to the claim they are hormone disruptors. Studies show conflicting results. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Propylparaben is commonly found in food, medicine, and cosmetics.
Learn more about PropylparabenWater. 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
