What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zinc Oxide 12%
Cosmetic ColorantWater
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCoco-Glucoside
CleansingMethyl Dihydroabietate
Glycerin
HumectantPolyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
EmulsifyingPropanediol
SolventTheobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningPongamia Pinnata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningRubus Idaeus Seed Oil
EmollientGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientLauroyl Lysine
Skin ConditioningSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientOctyldodecanol
EmollientIsostearic Acid
CleansingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingPhytic Acid
Jojoba Esters
EmollientTrihydroxystearin
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningSilybum Marianum Ethyl Ester
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
AbsorbentLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
AstringentVaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract
AntioxidantPunica Granatum Pericarp Extract
Skin ConditioningSyringa Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningCalcium Gluconate
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantZinc Oxide 12%, Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Coco-Glucoside, Methyl Dihydroabietate, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Propanediol, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Pongamia Pinnata Seed Extract, Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil, Glyceryl Caprylate, Lauroyl Lysine, Sclerotium Gum, Diheptyl Succinate, Octyldodecanol, Isostearic Acid, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Citric Acid, Phytic Acid, Jojoba Esters, Trihydroxystearin, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Silybum Marianum Ethyl Ester, Maltodextrin, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Pericarp Extract, Syringa Vulgaris Extract, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Gluconolactone, Calcium Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV AbsorberHomosalate 10%
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV AbsorberOctocrylene 10%
UV AbsorberWater
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin ConditioningSilica
AbrasiveC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPolyglyceryl-6 Stearate
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingDiisostearoyl Polyglyceryl-3 Dimer Dilinoleate
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientButylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCopernicia Cerifera Wax
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientGlycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCarnitine
CleansingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantDiethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingDimethicone
EmollientSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientEthylcellulose
Glyceryl Behenate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-6 Octastearate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCellulose Gum
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentDisodium EDTA
Iron Oxides
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 10%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 10%, Water, Alcohol Denat., Butyloctyl Salicylate, Silica, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Diisostearoyl Polyglyceryl-3 Dimer Dilinoleate, Behenyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Dibutyl Adipate, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carnitine, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Dimethicone, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Ethylcellulose, Glyceryl Behenate, Polyglyceryl-6 Octastearate, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cellulose Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Disodium EDTA, Iron Oxides
Reviews
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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 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