Brilliant Skin Essentials, Inc. Sunprofessional Sunscreen Gel-Cream SPF 30 Versus Pond's Instabright Tone Up Facial Foam
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberOctocrylene
UV AbsorberButylene Glycol
HumectantLecithin
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPolyacrylamide
C13-16 Isoparaffin
SolventLaureth-7
EmulsifyingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantDimethicone
EmollientCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientParfum
MaskingMenthyl Lactate
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Octocrylene, Butylene Glycol, Lecithin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyacrylamide, C13-16 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Titanium Dioxide, Dimethicone, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Parfum, Menthyl Lactate, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA
Myristic Acid
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantStearic Acid
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycol Distearate
EmollientLauric Acid
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePolyquaternium-7
Disodium EDTA
PEG-4 Dilaurate
EmulsifyingPEG-4 Laurate
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycine
BufferingCystine
MaskingHydrolyzed Milk Protein
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
HumectantIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
PreservativePEG-4
HumectantSodium Benzoate
MaskingMyristic Acid, Glycerin, Water, Propylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Glycol Distearate, Lauric Acid, Decyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Polyquaternium-7, Disodium EDTA, PEG-4 Dilaurate, PEG-4 Laurate, Niacinamide, Glycine, Cystine, Hydrolyzed Milk Protein, Sodium PCA, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, PEG-4, Sodium Benzoate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent 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.
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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water