Cancer Council Everyday Value Sunscreen SPF 50 Versus Vaseline Healthy Bright SPF50+ PA++++ Daily Protection & Brightening Serum Sunscreen
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Homosalate
Skin Conditioning
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Disodium Lauriminodipropionate Tocopheryl Phosphates
CleansingParfum
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrated Silica
Abrasive
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingWater
Skin ConditioningPvp
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Homosalate, Octocrylene, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Carbomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Disodium Lauriminodipropionate Tocopheryl Phosphates, Parfum, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrated Silica, Hydroxyacetophenone, Alcohol Denat., Isopropyl Palmitate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Water, Pvp, Triethanolamine, Xanthan Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Homosalate
Skin Conditioning
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStearamide Amp
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientParfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Octocrylene, Homosalate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Glycol Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Stearate, Petrolatum, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Titanium Dioxide, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Stearamide Amp, Aluminum Hydroxide, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
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 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 CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateHomosalate 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 OctocryleneParfum 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 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
