What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zinc Oxide 12%
Cosmetic Colorant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingIsododecane
EmollientLauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Lauryl PEG-8 Dimethicone
Surfactant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientPEG-10
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Trilaureth-4 Phosphate
EmulsifyingWater
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide 12%, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Butyloctyl Salicylate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylyl Methicone, Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Isododecane, Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone, Lauryl PEG-8 Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, PEG-10, Phenoxyethanol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Propanediol, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Tocopherol, Trilaureth-4 Phosphate, Water
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Drometrizole Trisiloxane
UV Absorber
Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Isocetyl Stearate
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Triethanolamine
BufferingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientBHT
Antioxidant
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Seedcake Extract
Skin Protecting
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77163
Cosmetic Colorant
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Scutellaria Baicalensis Extract
AntimicrobialScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate
Cleansing
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, CI 77891, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Titanium Dioxide, Isocetyl Stearate, Alcohol Denat., Propylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Stearic Acid, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Tocopherol, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Aluminum Hydroxide, BHT, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Seedcake Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Cetyl Alcohol, CI 42090, CI 77163, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 60, Polysorbate 80, Scutellaria Baicalensis Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sorbitan Oleate, Xanthan Gum, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl 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 GlycolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconePhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideTocopherol 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 Water
