CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen Face Sheer Tint SPF 30 Versus Prequel Solar Shade Broad Spectrum SPF 46 PA++++
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Titanium Dioxide 5.5%
Cosmetic Colorant
Zinc Oxide 10%
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialIsohexadecane
EmollientIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingPolyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPoly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate
Emulsion StabilisingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCholesterol
Emollient
Aluminum Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantAlumina
Abrasive
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Iron Oxides
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingPropylene Carbonate
SolventCitric Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Titanium Dioxide 5.5%, Zinc Oxide 10%, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Isohexadecane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dicaprylyl Ether, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Triethylhexanoin, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Stearic Acid, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Niacinamide, Glycine Soja Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Aluminum Stearate, Alumina, Aluminum Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Iron Oxides, P-Anisic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Tocopherol, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Propylene Carbonate, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Benzoic Acid
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 7%
Skin Conditioning
Octocrylene 9%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPongamia Glabra Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Undecane
EmollientBetaine
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Ethyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Oryza Sativa Germ Extract
EmollientGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tridecane
Perfuming
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
HumectantDunaliella Salina Extract
Skin ConditioningHaematococcus Pluvialis Extract
Antioxidant
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Fructose
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Pongamia Pinnata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-4 Laurate
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Phytate
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCellulose
Absorbent
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 7%, Octocrylene 9%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Water, Glycerin, Butyloctyl Salicylate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Pongamia Glabra Seed Oil, Undecane, Betaine, Silica, Ethyl Ferulate, Oryza Sativa Extract, Oryza Sativa Germ Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Tridecane, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Inulin, Fructose, Glucose, Pongamia Pinnata Seed Extract, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Arachidyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Cellulose Gum, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Tocopherol, Sodium Phytate, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.
Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateCaprylyl 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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycine Soja Oil is a plant-derived oil from soybean seeds. Like other oils, it is rich in essential fatty acids (mostly linoleic and oleic) that support skin hydration and barrier function.
The fatty acids are able to integrate into the lipid matrix of the stratum corneum to help soften skin and reduce water loss.
On top of that, soybean oil is rich in vitamins like vitamin E, a potent antioxidant.
Research on soybean's active components also point to anti-inflammatory, collagen-stimulating, antioxidant activity, and protection against UV-induced oxidative damage.
Most of this research applies to the broader soybean plant and not just the oil fraction alone.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe due to the oleic acid content.
Learn more about Glycine Soja OilTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
