Biossance Squalane + Zinc Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 PA +++ Versus COOLA Classic Face Sunscreen SPF 50
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Methyl Dihydroabietate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingNymphaea Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingEthyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Sodium Palmitoyl Proline
Skin ConditioningPolyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Zinc Oxide, Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Methyl Dihydroabietate, Sorbitan Olivate, Coco-Glucoside, Cetyl Palmitate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Acacia Senegal Gum, Ethyl Ferulate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Gluconate, Lecithin, Sodium Palmitoyl Proline, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Isostearic Acid
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 1.75%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 5%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 2%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 5%
UV Absorber
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil
Skin Conditioning
Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Brassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCamelina Sativa Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningCetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Methyl Dihydroabietate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDimethicone
Emollient
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Phytate
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Polysilicone-11
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 1.75%, Homosalate 5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 2%, Octocrylene 5%, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes, Water, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Glycerin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil, Squalane, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Tropolone, Cetyl Palmitate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sorbitan Palmitate, Methyl Dihydroabietate, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone, Sorbitan Oleate, Gluconolactone, Silica, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Benzoate, Polysilicone-11, Butylene Glycol, Decyl Glucoside
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetyl Palmitate is a wax-like substance.
It comes from palmitic acid and palmityl alcohol. Cetyl Palmitate may not be safe for Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne.
This ingredient is naturally found in the guava fruit and stony corals.
Learn more about Cetyl PalmitateGlycerin (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 GlycerinWe don't have a description for Methyl Dihydroabietate yet.
Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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
