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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Biore UV Aqua Rich Aqua Protect Lotion SPF 50+ PA++++ versus EltaMD, Inc UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 .

Last updated on November 08, 2023. Published on July 05, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both sunscreens. They have a total of 4 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid and SPF

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any common allergens, 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 Japanese Brand Japan
Sunscreen American Brand United States

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

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
spf rating
50
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
spf rating
46

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Chemical UV Filter (4)
Exfoliators
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating
Brightening

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (2)
Rosacea (3)
Eczema (3)

Notable Ingredients

Chemical UV Filter
Mineral UV Filter
AHA
Vitamin E
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots (2)
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Irritating (2)
Rosacea
Eczema
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

Biore UV Aqua Rich Aqua Protect Lotion SPF 50+ PA++++ contains this as ingredient number 1.

EltaMD, Inc UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 contains this as ingredient number 3.

2
What it does: UV Absorber, UV Filter
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate is an organic compound that provides UVB protection. It often goes by the more common name of octinoxate. It is created from methoxycinnamic acid and 2-ethylhexanol.

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate absorbs UVB rays with wavelengths between 280-320 nm. UV absorbers protect your skin by using chemical reactions to convert UV rays into heat and energy.

UVB (290-320 nm) rays emit more energy than UVA rays. They are capable of damaging DNA, causing sunburns and are thought to be linked to skin cancer.

The state of Hawaii has banned sunscreens containing octinoxate due to its potential impact on coral reefs. More research is needed to bridge gaps in this research. The European Union allows higher levels of octinoxate in sunscreens than the US and Australia.

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate is oil soluble. It is not stable and may lose efficacy when exposed to sunlight.

Learn more about Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate

Biore UV Aqua Rich Aqua Protect Lotion SPF 50+ PA++++ contains this as ingredient number 3.

EltaMD, Inc UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate

Biore UV Aqua Rich Aqua Protect Lotion SPF 50+ PA++++ contains this as ingredient number 18.

EltaMD, Inc UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 contains this as ingredient number 10.

4
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

Biore UV Aqua Rich Aqua Protect Lotion SPF 50+ PA++++ contains this as ingredient number 19.

EltaMD, Inc UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 contains this as ingredient number 14.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

35% are loved or liked
9% have mixed ratings
52% are disliked or very disliked
4% have no rating yet
35% are loved or liked
6% have mixed ratings
41% are disliked or very disliked
18% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Biore UV Aqua Rich Aqua Protect Lotion SPF 50+ PA++++ 23 ingredients

3.0 /5
from 2 ratings
Great Value (1) Light (1) Light Scent (1)
acelexa's avatar

acelexa

4 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

A liquid SPF that you have to shake before use. In liquid form, I think its very suitable for the rest of the body except for the face. It's also...

A liquid SPF that you have to shake before use. In liquid form, I think its very suitable for the rest of the body except for the face. It's also lightly scented

EltaMD, Inc UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 17 ingredients

3.7 /5
from 10 ratings
Expensive (2) No Scent (2) Hydrating (1) Irritating (1) Light (1) Pilling (1)
nja's avatar

nja

3 months ago · Sensitive Skin
Review

Feels SO comfortable on the skin, I want to keep using it. I also love that it's FA safe. But it pills after I blend out concealer with a sponge...

Feels SO comfortable on the skin, I want to keep using it. I also love that it's FA safe. But it pills after I blend out concealer with a sponge and I wonder how much of it is still on my face after that. It's supposed to be good for sensitive skin and while it's actually calming for my skin overall after I put it on, it also irritates the skin around my eyes - at the end of the day, there's always tiny little red bumps and I need to apply either LRP Cicaplast or Uriage Bariederm-Cica on that area before bed so that they go away by the next morning. I'm tired of doing this every day. I'm changing it to Bea Skincare sunscreen as soon as possible (had my eye on it for some time because the INCI seems so clean) and giving this to my less sensitive boyfriend.
EDIT: tried Bea sunscreen and didn't work out :/

febbynm's avatar

febbynm

3 years ago · Combination Skin
Review

No for me.
I actually really enjoy the consistency. It glides really nicely but oh my lord this thing PILLS like no other. It doesn’t matter if I...

No for me.
I actually really enjoy the consistency. It glides really nicely but oh my lord this thing PILLS like no other. It doesn’t matter if I rub, gently pat it in, or wait however amount of time after my moisturizer; it will pill making it especially impossible to wear under makeup.

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Biore UV Aqua Rich Aqua Protect Lotion SPF 50+ PA++++.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 18 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to EltaMD, Inc UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46.

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