What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningBentonite
Absorbent
Clay
Absorbent
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ceteth-20
CleansingVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Cymbopogon Martini Oil
Masking
Parfum
Masking
DMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Water
Skin ConditioningCitrus Paradisi Seed Oil
Perfuming
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Colloidal Sulfur
AntimicrobialCamphor
Masking
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Bentonite
Absorbent
Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentStrelitzia Nicolai Seed Aril Extract
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Juice Extract
Antioxidant
Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSophora Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ProtectingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Citrus Paradisi Seed Oil, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Colloidal Sulfur, Camphor, Salicylic Acid, Bentonite, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Strelitzia Nicolai Seed Aril Extract, Vitis Vinifera Juice Extract, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Sophora Japonica Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract, Lecithin, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bentonite is an aluminium phyllosilicate clay with great absorbent properties. The name 'bentonite' comes from the area where the largest source is found: Fort Benton, Wyoming.
As a clay, bentonite is often used to absorb excess oil and provide exfoliation. It has also been shown to have some antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies show bentonite was effective at calming dermatitis from poison ivy and in diaper dermatitis of infants. Bentonite has also been shown to act as a barrier against toxic compounds on your skin.
Sunscreens containing bentonite display higher water resistance and stay on the skin for much longer. The sunscreens containing bentonite also show higher potency and UV light absorbtion.
Bentonite is naturally created from volcanic ash and several natural weathering/hydrothermal processes.
A common usage of bentonite is removing excess protein from white wines. Bentonite contains a property of being able to absorb large amounts of protein from aqueous solutions.
Phyllosilicate clay has a structure formed by sheets.
Learn more about BentoniteCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinTitanium dioxide is a mineral UV filter widely used in sunscreens and cosmetics.
It is one of only two UV filters officially classified as “mineral” by regulatory agencies, the other being zinc oxide.
Titanium dioxide provides broad-spectrum protection mostly in the UVB and UVAII range, with some protection in the UVAI range.
While its UVA protection isn’t as strong as zinc oxide’s, the difference is minor.
A common myth is that mineral UV filters reflect UV light. However, modern research shows titanium dioxide absorbs UV radiation like chemical filters (~95% absorption & 5% reflection).
Thanks to its non-irritating nature, titanium dioxide is suitable for sensitive, acne-prone, or redness-prone skin. It is unlikely to cause "eye sting" like other sunscreen ingredients.
A major drawback of this ingredient is its white cast and thick texture. This is why mineral sunscreens often leave a white cast and are less cosmetically elegant than chemical/hybrid sunscreens.
To improve white cast and spreadability, micronized or nano-sized titanium dioxide is often used.
There are ongoing concerns surrounding nano-titanium oxide's impact on marine ecosystems.
There is no conclusive evidence that any form of titanium oxide (or any other sunscreen ingredients) will cause harm to marine ecosystems or coral reefs. 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.
Nano mineral sunscreens once raised safety concerns about absorption into skin.
Extensive research has shown that they do not penetrate healthy or damaged skin; they remain safely on the surface and the top layer of dead skin (stratum corneum).
You'll likely find titanium dioxide bundled with alumina, silica, or dimethicone. These ingredients help make titanium dioxide highly photostable; this prevents it from interacting with other formula components under UV light.
Learn more about Titanium DioxideWater. 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
