What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingDiisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientOryza Sativa Cera
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingPalmitic Acid
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientTriethanolamine
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDrometrizole Trisiloxane
UV AbsorberTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Tocopherol
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
CleansingVitreoscilla Ferment
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Pentylene Glycol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Alcohol Denat., Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Zea Mays Starch, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Parfum, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Oryza Sativa Cera, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Triethanolamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Myristic Acid, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPropanediol
SolventDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV FilterBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPhenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV AbsorberEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberArginine
MaskingZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentCopernicia Cerifera Cera
EmollientParfum
MaskingDrometrizole Trisiloxane
UV AbsorberBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientDextrin Palmitate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantVitreoscilla Ferment
Skin ConditioningWater, Isopropyl Myristate, Alcohol Denat., Dicaprylyl Ether, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Propanediol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Glycerin, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Arginine, Zea Mays Starch, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Parfum, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Behenyl Alcohol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Dextrin Palmitate, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Vitreoscilla Ferment
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.You might know this ingredient as Tinosorb S or Bemotrizinol. It is a UV filter that covers both UVA and UVB rays.
This ingredient has two peak UV absorption peaks ( 310 and 340 nm) and is able to absorb both UV-A and UV-B rays. This ingredient works by preventing UV rays from reaching and damaging your skin.
On top of that - it is highly photostable and helps prevent the photodegration of other sunscreen ingredients such as avobenzone.
Tinosorb S is allowed in the EU, Australia, and Asia. It is close to being approved by the FDA and we'll hopefully get this ingredient in the U.S. by late 2026.
Fun fact: Tinosorb S is the most effective UV absorber at maximum concentration (measured by SPF) permitted in the EU.
This ingredient is oil-soluble, so your oil-cleansers will take this right off at night.
Learn more about Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl TriazineCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDrometrizole Trisiloxane is a UV filter that provides both UV-A (344 nm) and UV-B (303 nm) protection.
This ingredient is photostable and studies show it to be generally safe and effective. The compound Meroxyl XL is owned by L'Oreal while Drometrizole trisiloxane can be found in other sunscreen brands.
It is currently approved for use in the EU, Canada, Australia, and Japan. However, it is not yet approved for use in the US.
This ingredient is often used with other sunscreen ingredients, such as Ecamsule.
Learn more about Drometrizole TrisiloxaneEthylhexyl Triazone is a modern chemical sunscreen that protects from UV-B radiation.
It is the most effective of existing UV-B filters, as it provides the highest level of photo-stable absorption. It protects from the entire UV-B range (280 to 320nm), with it's highest level of protection at 314nm.
Ethylhexyl Triazone is oil soluble, oderless and colorless, which mean it is able to be incorporated into a variety of different formulations.
It is not currently available within the United States due to slow changing FDA regulations. Outside of the US, it is used in formulations at concentrations up to 5%.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl TriazoneGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolVitreoscilla Ferment is a probiotic derived from the Vitreoscilla bacteria.
Studies show Vitreoscilla Ferment to have the same benefits as ingesting probiotics. Probiotics help keep the bacteria in your body healthy.
In general, maintaining a healthy microbiome on your skin has many benefits. One benefit is protection against external and bad bacteria. A healthy microbiome also helps maintain skin hydration and reduce inflammation.
Probiotics work best when combined with prebiotics.
Learn more about Vitreoscilla FermentWater. 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 GumZea Mays Starch is starch made from corn. You might know this as cornstarch . It is used to thicken a product. It can replace talc as an absorbent.
The pH of cornstarch is 5.92.
Cornstarch is a common food ingredient used to thicken soups or to make corn syrup.
Learn more about Zea Mays Starch