What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Octocrylene 8%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 6%
Skin Conditioning
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrated Silica
Abrasive
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingWater
Skin ConditioningPvp
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingOctocrylene 8%, Homosalate 6%, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Carbomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrated Silica, Hydroxyacetophenone, Alcohol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Water, Pvp, Triethanolamine, Xanthan Gum
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Homosalate
Skin Conditioning
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCeresin
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Methylparaben
Preservative
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-15 Cocamine
EmulsifyingPEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Stearyl Stearate
Emollient
Triethanolamine
BufferingCera Alba
Emollient
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Homosalate, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Benzyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Ceresin, Citric Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methylparaben, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, PEG-15 Cocamine, PEG-40 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Water, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Stearate, Triethanolamine, Cera Alba
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceAlso known as Avobenzone, this ingredient is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-A range.
Avobenzone is globally approved and is the most commonly used UV-A filter in the world.
Studies have found that avobenzone becomes ineffective when exposed to UV light (it is not photostable; meaning that it breaks down in sunlight). Because of this, formulations that include avobenzone will usually contain stabilizers such as octocrylene.
However, some modern formulations (looking at you, EU!) are able to stabilize avobenzone by coating the molecules.
Avobenzone does not protect against the UV-B range, so it's important to check that the sunscreen you're using contains other UV filters that do!
The highest concentration of avobenzone permitted is 3% in the US, and 5% in the EU.
Learn more about Butyl MethoxydibenzoylmethaneCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerHomosalate is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-B range (280nm - 320 nm), with a peak protection at 306 nm. It is internationally approved for use in sunscreens.
Homosalate is not photo-stable, meaning it's strength as a UV filter degrades over time with exposure to the sun. Because of this, it's often used in combination with other chemical sunscreen filters as avobenzone (which protects from the UV-A range). Homosalate also helps act as a solvent for harder-to-dissolve UV filters.
(Part of the reason that sunscreens need to be frequently re-applied is due to the photo instability of many chemical sunscreen filters)
Currently, homosalate is approved in concentrations up to 10% in the EU and 15% in the US. The FDA is currently doing further research on the effects of homosalate, and it is possible that these approved concentrations will change in the future.
Learn more about HomosalateOctocrylene protects skin from sun damage. It absorbs UV-B with peak absorption of 304 nm. It is a common sunscreen ingredient and often paired with avobenzone, a UVA filter. This is because octocrylene stabilizes other sunscreen ingredients by protecting them from degradation when exposed to sunlight. Octocrylene is a photostable ingredient and loses about 10% of SPF in 95 minutes.
Octocrylene also acts as an emollient, meaning it helps skin retain moisture and softens skin. It is oil-soluble and hydrophobic, enhancing water-resistant properties in a product.
Those who are using ketoprofen, a topical anti-inflammatory drug, may experience an allergic reaction when using octocrylene. It is best to speak with a healthcare professional about using sunscreens with octocrylene.
The EU allows a maximum of these concentrations:
Learn more about OctocrylenePhenoxyethanol 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.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateTriethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
If you are looking for the tea leaf ingredient, click here.
Learn more about TriethanolamineWater. 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
