What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Cyclotetrasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingCeteareth-12
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientDimethicone/Methicone Copolymer
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium EDTA
Benzylidene Dimethoxydimethylindanone
Skin ProtectingWater, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Ceteareth-12, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Octocrylene, Benzyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Titanium Dioxide, Aluminum Hydroxide, Dimethicone/Methicone Copolymer, Sorbitan Palmitate, Sorbitan Olivate, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Bisabolol, Panthenol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Benzylidene Dimethoxydimethylindanone
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientSucrose Polystearate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer
Microcrystalline Cellulose
Absorbent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Menthol
Masking
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBHT
Antioxidant
Totarol
Antioxidant
Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV Absorber
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Malic Acid
Buffering
Phenylethyl Resorcinol
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Thermus Thermophillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBuddleja Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Water, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Propylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Dibutyl Adipate, Sucrose Polystearate, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene Glycol, Decyl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Carbomer, Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer, Microcrystalline Cellulose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Menthol, Menthyl Lactate, Disodium EDTA, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Parfum, Xanthan Gum, BHT, Totarol, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Zinc PCA, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Ectoin, Malic Acid, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Glycerin, Thermus Thermophillus Ferment, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Buddleja Officinalis Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Potassium Sorbate, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Silica, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololCetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneThis 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 MethoxycinnamateGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateWater. 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
