What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Dextrin Palmitate
Emulsifying
Agar
MaskingCellulose
Absorbent
Polyvinyl Alcohol
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysilicone-3
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingRoyal Jelly Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Water, Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Glycerin, Silica, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Dextrin Palmitate, Agar, Cellulose, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polysilicone-3, Sodium Hydroxide, Royal Jelly Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, EDTA, BHT, Parfum
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine 1.8%
Skin Conditioning
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate 4%
UV Filter
Homosalate 8%
Skin Conditioning
Octocrylene 8%
UV Absorber
Titanium Dioxide 2.5%
Cosmetic Colorant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
Abrasive
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Methylparaben
Preservative
Niacinamide
Smoothing
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPropylparaben
Preservative
Water
Skin ConditioningPvp
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine 1.8%, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate 4%, Homosalate 8%, Octocrylene 8%, Titanium Dioxide 2.5%, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Carbomer, Silica, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Methylparaben, Niacinamide, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Propylparaben, Water, Pvp, Triethanolamine, Xanthan Gum
Reviews
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 TriazineDiethylamino 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 BenzoateGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSilica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaWater. 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
