CeraVe AM Facial Moisturising Lotion SPF30 Versus Neutrogena Collagen Bank SPF 30 Moisturizer Sunscreen
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingDiisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientOryza Sativa Cera
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Triethanolamine
BufferingBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Cholesterol
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBenzoic Acid
Masking
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Water, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Zea Mays Starch, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Oryza Sativa Cera, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Stearic Acid, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Myristic Acid, Cholesterol, Palmitic Acid, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Benzoic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.5%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 6%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 8%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Diisopropyl Adipate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Acetyl Dipeptide-31 Amide
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCetyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingBHT
Antioxidant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.5%, Homosalate 6%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%, Octocrylene 8%, Water, Silica, Caprylyl Methicone, Diisopropyl Adipate, Dimethicone, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Synthetic Beeswax, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Acetyl Dipeptide-31 Amide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Jojoba Esters, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cetyl Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Polyacrylate, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, Trideceth-6, BHT
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 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 MethoxydibenzoylmethaneCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolEthylhexyl Salicylate (also called Octisalate or Octyl Salicylate) is an oil-soluble organic UV filter that's been used in sunscreen since the 1950's.
It absorbs UVB light in the 280-320 nm range with a peak absorbance around 306 nm.
You'll often see it paired with other UV filters to boost overall SPF because octisalate is a fairly week filter on its own.
The reason you'll see it so often is because it can help solubilize and stabilize the trickier filters like oxybenzone and avobenzone.
Unlike these filters, octisalate has pretty good photostability and doesn't create skin-damaging free radicals when exposed to sunlight.
The fatty-alcohol part of the molecule also gives it a light, emollient feel so it doubles as a nice texture enhancer.
Usage levels vary around the world:
Safety-wise, this ingredient has a pretty reassuring track record. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) found very low skin penetration in human skin tests and negative results for irritation, phototoxicity, and photoallergy.
The real-world allergy risk is pretty low too; a 2012 European study of 1,031 people recorded only 2 reactions to it (a rate of 0.19%).
You might have seen scary headlines about sunscreen getting into your blood.
In 2019, the FDA found that several chemical filters can absorb through the skin and show up in the bloodstream at small but measurable levels.
Here's the important part: these tiny levels are just a cutoff the FDA uses to decide which ingredients need more testing and doesn't mean anything harmful was found.
The researchers were clear that the results are no reason to stop wearing sunscreen.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl SalicylateGlyceryl 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 StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is the potassium salt of a mixture. This mixture consists of the esters from phosphoricacid and cetyl alcohol.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier and cleansing agent. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
As a cleansing agent, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate helps gather oils, dirts, and pollutants from your skin. This makes it easier to rinse them away with water.
Learn more about Potassium Cetyl PhosphateWater. 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
