Cetaphil Sheer Mineral Sunscreen Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Versus Belo SunExpert Face Cover SPF 40 PA+++
Overview
What they are
These products are both sunscreens. They have a total of 12 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain SPF and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin, sensitive skin, scar healing and dark spots
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances and silicones
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Cetaphil Sheer Mineral Sunscreen Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 50 39 ingredients
Belo SunExpert Face Cover SPF 40 PA+++ 31 ingredients
What's inside (and what isn't)
What's inside (and what isn't)
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Cetaphil Sheer Mineral Sunscreen Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 50 39 ingredients
Belo SunExpert Face Cover SPF 40 PA+++ 31 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Titanium Dioxide 9%
Cosmetic Colorant
Zinc Oxide 7%
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningIsohexadecane
EmollientButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Olive Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingVp/Eicosene Copolymer
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone PEG-8 Laurate
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Bisabolol
Masking
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Citric Acid
Buffering
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingUndecylenoyl Glycine
CleansingTitanium Dioxide 9%, Zinc Oxide 7%, Water, Isohexadecane, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Cetyl Dimethicone, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Olive Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Palmitate, Dimethicone PEG-8 Laurate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Bisabolol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Propanediol, Xanthan Gum, Aluminum Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Stearic Acid, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Citric Acid, Maltodextrin, Phenoxyethanol, Capryloyl Glycine, Undecylenoyl Glycine
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Cyclotetrasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
Cleansing
Ceteareth-12
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientDimethicone/Methicone Copolymer
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingBisabolol
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium EDTA
Benzylidene Dimethoxydimethylindanone
Skin ProtectingWater, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Ceteareth-12, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Octocrylene, Benzyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Titanium Dioxide, Aluminum Hydroxide, Dimethicone/Methicone Copolymer, Sorbitan Palmitate, Sorbitan Olivate, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Bisabolol, Panthenol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Benzylidene Dimethoxydimethylindanone
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aluminum Hydroxide is a form of aluminum. It can be naturally found in nature as the mineral gibbsite. In cosmetics, Aluminum Hydroxide is used as a colorant, pH adjuster, and absorbent.
As a colorant, Aluminum Hydroxide may add opacity, or reduce the transparency. Aluminum hydroxide is contains both basic and acidic properties.
According to manufacturers, this ingredient is an emollient and humectant. This means it helps hydrate the skin.
In medicine, this ingredient is used to help relieve heartburn and help heal ulcers.
There is currently no credible scientific evidence linking aluminum hydroxide in cosmetics to increased cancer risk.
Major health organizations allow the use of aluminum hydroxide in personal care products and have not flagged it as a carcinogenic risk at typical usage levels.
Learn more about Aluminum HydroxideBenzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.
Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholBisabolol is famous for its skin soothing properties. It does this by blocking inflammatory signals, helping to reduce your body's reaction to irritation.
This ingredient also interferes with the process of hyperpigmentation. This can help with reducing dark spots and uneven tone.
Bisabolol is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. By fighting these free-radicals, Bisabolol may slow down signs of aging.
Studies have shown Bisabolol to have antimicrobial properties and may be a fungicide. These properties help preserve a product's shelf life.
All these properties makes bisabolol a great skin barrier helper ingredient.
Bisabolol also helps the absorption of other ingredients.
Note: Synthetic Bisabolol has been shown to be less effective.
Learn more about BisabololCarbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.
Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.
Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetyl Palmitate is a wax-like substance.
It comes from palmitic acid and palmityl alcohol. Cetyl Palmitate may not be safe for Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne.
This ingredient is naturally found in the guava fruit and stony corals.
Learn more about Cetyl PalmitateCitric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and even out skin tone.
If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidSorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
Manufacturers sell sorbitan olivate under the name OliveM 1000. OliveM 1000 a multifunctional ingredient. It is self-emulsifying. According to a manufacturer, OliveM 1000 does not disrupt natural skin biome.
Due to its olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan OlivateSorbitan Palmitate is an emulsifier.
It is created by reacting sorbitol with palmitic acid.
Titanium Dioxide is a mineral (or physical) sunscreen ingredient that provides broad-spectrum protection by blocking both UV-A and UV-B rays.
It sits on the skin’s surface and primarily reflects and scatters UV light and also absorbs some of it.
This makes the line between “mineral” and “chemical” sunscreens a bit blurry, but in skincare labeling, Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide are the two ingredients officially classified as mineral filters.
Because it’s non-irritating, Titanium Dioxide is often recommended for sensitive or acne-prone skin.
Thanks to modern production methods, nano-scale or fine-grade Titanium Dioxide is now widely used in cosmetics to reduce white cast and improve texture.
Despite its small particle size, studies show that Titanium Dioxide, even in nanoparticle form, is not absorbed into the skin.
Learn more about Titanium DioxideTocopheryl 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 AcetateWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterIngredient Ratings
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When to use
Cetaphil Sheer Mineral Sunscreen Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 50 39 ingredients
Belo SunExpert Face Cover SPF 40 PA+++ 31 ingredients
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