What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Ozokerite
Emulsion StabilisingIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientMicrocrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingPolysilicone-15
UV Filter
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantAloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Cotoneaster Extract
Tridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantEthylhexyl Palmitate, Silica, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ozokerite, Isononyl Isononanoate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Synthetic Wax, Octocrylene, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Microcrystalline Wax, Polysilicone-15, Ascorbic Acid, Zinc Oxide, Cyclohexasiloxane, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, CI 77891, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Cotoneaster Extract, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Dimethicone, CI 42090, CI 77492
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Isoceteth-10
EmulsifyingTrisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Aroma
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Swertia Chirata Extract
HumectantCI 47000
Cosmetic ColorantParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Silica, Isoceteth-10, Trisiloxane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Octocrylene, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Bisabolol, Aroma, Saccharide Isomerate, Maltodextrin, Swertia Chirata Extract, CI 47000, Paraffinum Liquidum, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Also known as Avobenzone, this ingredient is an oil-soluble used to absorb the full spectrum of UVA rays (peak 357 nm).
It's one of the most effective UVA filters available but has a major caveat of photostability: avobenzone is susceptible to photodegradation.
This means it can lose efficacy when exposed to sunlight without the help of a stabilizing agent.
Studies show antioxidants (like vitamin E or vitamin C) and some UV filters (like octocrylene and Tinosorb S) can meaningfully improve its stability in a formulation.
The maximum allowable concentration according to regulation is 3% in the US + Canada, and 5% in the EU, Australia, China, Korea, and ASEAN countries.
It has a well-support safety profile: a comprehensive 2025 review found minimal toxicity with no evidence of carcinogenicity.
Overall, avobenzone is a safe and regulated ingredient used in sunscreen for over 40 years.
Learn more about Butyl MethoxydibenzoylmethaneCyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneThis ingredient is also known as Octinoxate and is one of the oldest and most widely used chemical UV filters in skincare.
It has a simple job: soap up UVB radiation (290-320 nm), the wavelengths responsible for sunburn and a big chunk of long-term sun damage.
In formulas, it's always paired with a separate UVA filter because octinoxate solely protects skin from UVB.
Because it's an oil-soluble liquid, it's easy to blend into the oil phase of lotions/creams and gives a cosmetically elegant feel.
The one quirk about formulating this ingredient is photostability; the molecule slowly changes shape into a less effective version when sunlight hits it. So the longer you're in the sun, the weaker its protection gets. The drop can be more than 30% in some formulas.
It also doesn't play nice with Avobenzone (the common UVA filter) since avobenzone destabilizes octinoxate and the two degrade each other. But don't worry: brands have solved this issue by adding photostabilizers like Tinosorb S to prevent degradation and keep SPF stable under heavy UV exposure.
The maximum allowed level is 10% in the EU and Australia, 7.5% in the US and Canada, and 20% in Japan.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics up to 10%.
One last thing worth knowing for context:
Octinoxate has been the subject of ongoing review in Europe where the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety's (SCCS) 2025 final opinion is that this ingredient is an endocrine-active substance.
Lab and animal studies suggest it can act a bit like a hormone in the body (mildly mimicking estrogen and slightly blocking male hormones). It's important to know this hasn't really been shown to happen in everyday human use.
This ingredient is also banned in Hawaii over coral reef concerns.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl MethoxycinnamateOctocrylene is an oil-soluble organic UV filter that mainly absorbs UVB and short wave UVA II light.
Its real superpower is teamwork: octocrylene is remarkably photostable and is most famous for stabilizing avobenzone (the workhorse UVA filter).
This ingredient is commonly used to enhance both UVB and UVA protection due to its unique property in stabilizing avobenzone. It also pulls double duty by boosting water resistance and giving formulas a smooth, spreadable feel.
The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has deemed octocrylene to be safe as a UV-filter at concentrations up to 10% (capped at 9% in propellant sprays). The US also permits it up to 10%.
Two things worth knowing:
You'll usually see this ingredient used in concentrations between 2-10% (higher amounts when used as a stabilizer for avobenzone).
Learn more about OctocryleneSilica, 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 Silica
