Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Bioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ versus Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) .
Published on June 05, 2021
Overview
What they are
These products are both sunscreens. They have a total of 19 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain SPF
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain silicones
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.
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.
Price
Ingredient Info
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ 28 ingredients
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) 33 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
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:
Not Reef Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not reef safe:
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:
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:
Not Reef Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not reef safe:
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
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ 28 ingredients
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) 33 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 4 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:
Concerns
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:
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:
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 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ 28 ingredients
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) 33 ingredients
Water • Dicaprylyl Carbonate • Octocrylene • Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol • Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane • Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine • Cyclomethicone • C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate • Glyceryl Stearate • Peg-100 Stearate • Ectoin • Mannitol • Xylitol • Rhamnose • Fructooligosaccharides • Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract • C20-22 Alcohols • Decyl Glucoside • 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate • Pentylene Glycol • Xanthan Gum • Propylene Glycol • Citric Acid • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Disodium EDTA • Sodium Hydroxide • Chlorphenesin • Phenoxyethanol
Water • Dicaprylyl Carbonate • Octocrylene • Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol • Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane • Glycerin • Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer • Cyclohexasiloxane • Cyclopentasiloxane • Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine • Polymethylsilsesquioxane • Methylpropanediol • Peg-Crosspolymer • C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate • C20-22 Alcohols • Decyl Glucoside • Glyceryl Stearate Citrate • Pentylene Glycol • Microcrystalline Cellulose • C30-45 Alkyl Dimethicone • 1,2-Hexanediol • Caprylyl Glycol • Disodium EDTA • Xanthan Gum • Mannitol • Xylitol • Sodium Hydroxide • Cellulose Gum • Rhamnose • Propylene Glycol • Citric Acid • Ectoin • Tocopherol
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.
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 WaterBioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ contains this as ingredient number 1.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) 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.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ contains this as ingredient number 2.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) contains this as ingredient number 2.
Octocrylene protects skin from sun damage. It absorbs UV-B with peak absorption of 304 nm. It is a common sunscreen ingredient and often paired with avobenzone, a UVA filter. This is because octocrylene stabilizes other sunscreen ingredients by protecting them from degradation when exposed to sunlight. Octocrylene is a photostable ingredient and loses about 10% of SPF in 95 minutes.
Octocrylene also acts as an emollient, meaning it helps skin retain moisture and softens skin. It is oil-soluble and hydrophobic, enhancing water-resistant properties in a product.
Those who are using ketoprofen, a topical anti-inflammatory drug, may experience an allergic reaction when using octocrylene. It is best to speak with a healthcare professional about using sunscreens with octocrylene.
The EU allows a maximum of these concentrations:
Learn more about OctocryleneBioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ contains this as ingredient number 3.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) contains this as ingredient number 3.
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol (Tinosorb M) is a hybrid and broad-spectrum UV ingredient. It is both a UV absorber and filter.
UV absorbers are an agent that absorbs UV rays. They protect your skin by using chemical reactions to convert UV rays into heat and energy. UV filters physically reduce the amount of UV rays from reaching your skin.
Tinosorb M covers a range of 280-400 nm and is photostable. This ingredient is neither oil or water soluble.
Tinosorb M, similarly to Tinosorb S, is not available in the US. However, it is available in the EU and Asia.
Learn more about Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl TetramethylbutylphenolBioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ contains this as ingredient number 4.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) contains this as ingredient number 4.
Also known as Avobenzone, this ingredient is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-A range.
Avobenzone is globally approved and is the most commonly used UV-A filter in the world.
Studies have found that avobenzone becomes ineffective when exposed to UV light (it is not photostable; meaning that it breaks down in sunlight). Because of this, formulations that include avobenzone will usually contain stabilizers such as octocrylene.
However, some modern formulations (looking at you, EU!) are able to stabilize avobenzone by coating the molecules.
Avobenzone does not protect against the UV-B range, so it's important to check that the sunscreen you're using contains other UV filters that do!
The highest concentration of avobenzone permitted is 3% in the US, and 5% in the EU.
Learn more about Butyl MethoxydibenzoylmethaneBioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ contains this as ingredient number 5.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) contains this as ingredient number 6.
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 TriazineBioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ contains this as ingredient number 6.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) contains this as ingredient number 11.
We don't have a description for C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ contains this as ingredient number 8.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) contains this as ingredient number 16.
Ectoin is a compound found naturally in some species of bacteria. In skincare, it can be synthetically created. It is an osmolyte, or a low-molecular weight organic compound that influences the properties of biological fluids.
In skincare, ectoin is used to stabilize proteins and provides skin protection as an antioxidant. Antioxidants help protect our skin from environmental damage, such as pollution and UV rays.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ contains this as ingredient number 11.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) contains this as ingredient number 35.
Mannitol is a sugar alcohol. It is a humectant and moisturizes the skin. In vitro (not tested on a living organism), mannitol displays antioxidant properties.
When found in aqueous solutions, mannitol tends to become acidic. This is because it loses a hydrogen ion. This is why mannitol can often be found with pH adjusting ingredients, such as sodium bicarbonate.
Fun fact: Mannitol can be found in foods as a sweetener. It can be naturally found in mushrooms, algae, fruits, and veggies.
Learn more about MannitolBioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ contains this as ingredient number 12.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) contains this as ingredient number 28.
Xylitol is a humectant and prebiotic. It can help with dry skin.
In studies, xylitol has been shown to improve dry skin. It decreased transepidermal water loss, or when water passes through the skin and evaporates. Xylitol also showed to help improve the biomechanical properties of the skin barrier.
The prebiotic property of xylitol may also help reinforce our skin's natural microbiome. Having a healthy microbiome prevents infection by bad bacteria and helps with hydration.
As a humectant, Xylitol helps draw moisture from both the air and from deeper skin layers. This helps keep skin hydrated.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and commonly used as a sugar substitute. It is naturally occurring in plants such as strawberries and pumpkin.
Learn more about XylitolBioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ contains this as ingredient number 13.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) contains this as ingredient number 29.
We don't have a description for Rhamnose.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ contains this as ingredient number 14.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) contains this as ingredient number 32.
We don't have a description for C20-22 Alcohols.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ contains this as ingredient number 17.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) contains this as ingredient number 17.
Decyl Glucoside is a glucose-based surfactant. Surfactants help clean the skin by trapping oil, sebum, and dirt to be washed away.
It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Decyl Glucoside also helps stabilize the ingredients in a product by preventing them from separating.
This ingredient is biodegradable and non-toxic. This ingredient is commonly found in baby shampoos.
Decyl Glucoside is sometimes used to stabilize the UV filter Tinosorb.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosideBioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ contains this as ingredient number 18.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) contains this as ingredient number 18.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can help thicken or emulsify a product. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolBioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ contains this as ingredient number 20.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) contains this as ingredient number 20.
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 GumBioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ contains this as ingredient number 21.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) contains this as ingredient number 27.
Propylene Glycol is an odorless, colorless liquid. As a humectant, it helps skin retain moisture. It also aids in delivering active ingredients.
Another role of this ingredient is preventing a product from melting or freezing. Propylene glycol also adds antimicrobrial properties to a product, elongating product lifespan.
This ingredient is considered an organic alcohol and commonly added into both cosmetics and foods.
Those with sensitive skin or conditions may deliver a rash when using this ingredient.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolBioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ contains this as ingredient number 22.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) contains this as ingredient number 33.
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.
As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidBioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ contains this as ingredient number 23.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) contains this as ingredient number 34.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.
Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.
Learn more about Disodium EDTABioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ contains this as ingredient number 25.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) contains this as ingredient number 26.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideBioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ contains this as ingredient number 26.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) contains this as ingredient number 30.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ 28 ingredients
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) 33 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ 28 ingredients
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) 33 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Cream SPF 50+ 28 ingredients
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Aquafluide SPF 50+ (Clear) 33 ingredients
Alternatives
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