What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialC8-12 Acid Triglyceride
Skin ConditioningDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
Emulsifying
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV Absorber
Propanediol
Solvent
Zinc Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientMagnesium Sulfate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Stearalkonium Hectorite
Gel FormingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCamelina Sativa Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Propylene Carbonate
SolventTocopherol
Antioxidant
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Fructose
Humectant
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, C8-12 Acid Triglyceride, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Propanediol, Zinc Stearate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Magnesium Sulfate, Pentylene Glycol, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Xanthan Gum, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Propylene Carbonate, Tocopherol, Inulin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Fructose
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Glycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV Absorber
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDecylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPiroctone Olamine
Preservative
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Silver Chloride
Preservative
Diethylhexyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate
CleansingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Ectoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Decylene Glycol, Piroctone Olamine, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Titanium Dioxide, Silver Chloride, Diethylhexyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate, Propylene Glycol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is better known as bemotrizinol or Tinosorb S and is one of the best broad-spectrum UV filters in modern sunscreen.
It works by absorbing UV light across a whole range (280-400 nm) with peaks around 310 nm (UVB) and 340-345 nm (UVA). This means it covers UVB plus the deeper UVA wavelengths that drive photoaging and pigmentation.
Another pro?
It's exceptionally photostable, barely degrades in sunlight, and acts as a "bodyguard" for less stable filters.
That's why you'll see it paired with avobenzone or octinoxate; this team up ensures they keep working through sun exposure.
Safety reviews have been reassuring across the board. This ingredient shows low absorption through the skin, rarely irritates, and lab studies found it doesn't act like a hormone in the body (a concern that's been raised about some older sunscreen filters).
On maximum concentrations:
In 2026, the US F.D.A finally added it as an OTC sunscreen ingredient at concentrations up to 6% for adults / children 6 months and older
Learn more about Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl TriazineC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.
Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (DHHB) is a chemical UV-A absorber. It is formulated for high UVA protection (320-400 nm).
DHHB is well-liked for:
DHHB has been approved by the EU, Japan, Taiwan, and South America for use up to 10%. Unfortunately, it has not been approved for use in the US or Canada due to slow regulatory processes.
This ingredient is soluble in oils, fats, and lipids.
Learn more about Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl BenzoateDiethylhexyl Butamido Triazone (aka Iscotrizinol) is an oil-soluble organic UV filter that mainly absorbs UVB and a bit of UVA II light.
This ingredient is great at preventing sunburn but doesn't cover the deep UVA I range. This is why it's often paired with a UVA filter like Avobenzone or Bemotrizinol.
Two of its biggest selling points are efficiency and stability:
Most of the other chemical filters are considered "photostable" if they can last for two hours.
Because this ingredient is oil-loving, it can sit neatly into the oil phase of emulsions and shines in water-repellent/water-resistant formulations.
The EU and Canada allow it to be used up to 10% and Japan allows it up to 5%.
Unfortunately, it's not yet an FDA approved sunscreen agent so you won't be able to find it in sunscreens in the US.
Safety-wise, it has a pretty solid record: the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has reviewed it and found low skin absorption, no capacity to produce skin irritation or photo-irritation.
In vitro testing has found less than 0.1% of the applied dose is absorbed by the skin over 24 hours (mostly due to its large molecule size).
Fun fact: This ingredient even has anti-inflammatory properties similar to those of ketoprofe, an anti-inflammatory medication.
Learn more about Diethylhexyl Butamido TriazoneEthylhexyl Triazone (aka Octyl Triazone) is an oil-soluble organic UVB filter. It has peak absorption around 314 nm, right in the middle of the UVB range.
This ingredient is described as one of the most effective UVB filters available and small concentrations are enough to deliver a high SPF thanks to its strong UV absorbing power.
Formulators love it for its stability; its ability to filter UV stays practically unchanged even under intense radiation and it can also help boost the photostability of less stable filters like avobenzone.
It's also a great pick for water resistant products because it's insoluble in water and has a good affinity for keratin.
Because it's a big, heavy molecule, the European Scientific Committee has found to to have very low dermal penetration and negative results for allergenicity.
In vitro testing also showed a low absorption rate and clean results on irritation.
Typical use levels are 1-5% with 5% being the maximum in the EU, Japan, and other markets that allow it. However, this ingredient is not approved yet in the US or Canada.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl TriazoneWater. 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 WaterXanthan 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 Gum
