This mineral sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
This chemical sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingZinc Oxide
Cosmetic ColorantC15-19 Alkane
SolventTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantPolyglyceryl-3 Ricinoleate
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingSilica
AbrasiveDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlyceryl Isostearate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingPolyhydroxystearic Acid
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingStearalkonium Hectorite
Gel FormingGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientPropylene Carbonate
SolventCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Zinc Oxide, C15-19 Alkane, Titanium Dioxide, Polyglyceryl-3 Ricinoleate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Silica, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glyceryl Isostearate, Pentylene Glycol, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Tocopherol, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Glycine Soja Oil, Propylene Carbonate, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningDibutyl Adipate
EmollientDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDiethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV AbsorberBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
UV AbsorberPropanediol
SolventButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberPolyglyceryl-6 Stearate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantBrassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer
Skin ConditioningC20-22 Alkyl Phosphate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningC20-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Citrate
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingO-Cymen-5-Ol
AntimicrobialGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDiisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientPropylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientWater, Dibutyl Adipate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Propanediol, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Glycerin, Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer, C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate, 1,2-Hexanediol, C20-22 Alcohols, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Propylheptyl Caprylate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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.
Glycine Soja Oil is a plant-derived oil from soybean seeds. Like other oils, it is rich in essential fatty acids (mostly linoleic and oleic) that support skin hydration and barrier function.
The fatty acids are able to integrate into the lipid matrix of the stratum corneum to help soften skin and reduce water loss.
On top of that, soybean oil is rich in vitamins like vitamin E, a potent antioxidant.
Research on soybean's active components also point to anti-inflammatory, collagen-stimulating, antioxidant activity, and protection against UV-induced oxidative damage.
Most of this research applies to the broader soybean plant and not just the oil fraction alone.
This ingredient does carry a comedogenic rating of 3 from the old rabbit-ear assay. Just remember testing finished products in humans showed that formulas built with "comedogenic" ingredients are not necessarily comedogenic themselves. It's worth patch testing if you're breakout prone, and always listen to your skin.
Because this ingredient is a saturated triglyceride, it may not be fungal acne safe. This is because Malassezia breaks down sebum triglycerides into fatty acids it can consume, making this ingredient a possible source for the yeast.
Learn more about Glycine Soja OilThis ingredient is also known as Apricot kernel oil, and it comes form the seed kernels of apricot (a member of the Rosaceae family like almond, peach, cherry, and plum).
It's mostly made up of triglycerides: oleic acid (43.9-78.5%), linoleic acid (9.7-37%), and palmitic acid (4.9-7.3%). These numbers vary depending on the variety of Prunus and the ripeness of the fruit; oleic tends to go up at late harvest while linoleic goes down.
Vitamin E is also prevalent in this ingredient and the most dominant form is gamma-tocopherol.
These compounds give the ingredient emollient and skin conditioning properties that keep the skin soft and hydrated.
There's no regulatory maximum cap for this ingredient so you'll see it across a huge concentration range (100% as a single ingredient facial oil).
On allergies: refined cosmetic-grade oils carry almost no protein. The CIR notes that people allergic to a food generally do not react to the refined oil because the allergenic protein does not partition into it (though cold-pressed grades retain more).
However, it's worth patch testing if you have a stone fruit or tree nut allergy because manufacturer processes for removing the protein can vary.
Malassezia lacks the cytosolic fatty acid synthase gene so the yeast cannot make palmitate on its own and instead uses lipases and phospholipases to release fatty acids from host lipids. Since apricot kernel oil is entirely C16-18 (right in the usable range of C11-24), this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Old rabbit-ear testing did assign this ingredient a comedogenic rating of 1-2. The original author has stated that testing on rabbit ears is not an ideal model for human comedogenicity.
Human testing has proved that any finished product with a comedogenic ingredient won't automatically make you break out; it really comes down to concentration, formula, and your skin.
Just know high-oleic oils tend to feel heavier on oily skin so it's worth patch testing.
Learn more about Prunus Armeniaca Kernel OilSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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