Sunscreen
Sunscreen
American United States
American United States

What's inside

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Show highlights for:

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%

UV Absorber
UV Protection IconChemical UV Filter IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Homosalate 5%

Skin Conditioning
UV Protection IconChemical UV Filter IconNon-Reef-Safe Icon

Ethylhexyl Salicylate 3%

UV Absorber
0 / 0 UV Protection IconChemical UV Filter IconMay worsen Rosacea IconNon-Reef-Safe Icon

Octocrylene 5%

UV Absorber
UV Protection IconChemical UV Filter IconMay worsen Eczema IconNon-Reef-Safe Icon

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes

Emollient
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Adipic Acid/Diglycol Crosspolymer

Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate

Emollient

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Isododecane

Emollient

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Cleansing

Glyceryl Stearate

Emollient
1 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Water

Skin Conditioning

Cocos Nucifera Water

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract

Emollient

Hyaluronic Acid

Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Sodium Hydroxide

Buffering

Jasminum Sambac Leaf Cell Extract

Masking
Fragrance Icon

Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Schinus Molle Extract

Skin Protecting

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Skin Conditioning

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Skin Conditioning

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil

Emollient
Oil IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Barrier Repair IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract

Skin Conditioning

Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract

Skin Conditioning

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Masking
Fragrance Icon

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Skin Conditioning
Good for Dark Spots Icon

Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract

Tonic

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Antimicrobial
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate

Antimicrobial

Glyceryl Caprylate

Emollient

Sodium Benzoate

Masking
Preservative Icon

Methylbenzyl Acetate

Masking
Fragrance Icon

Benzyl Acetate

Masking
Fragrance Icon

Juniperus Mexicana Oil

Masking
Oil Icon

Propanediol

Solvent
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Lecithin

Emollient
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Gluconolactone

Skin Conditioning
PHA IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Skin Texture Icon

Citric Acid

Buffering
AHA IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Skin Texture IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Tocopheryl Acetate

Antioxidant
0 / 0 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant Icon

Bisabolol

Masking
Helps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Xanthan Gum

Emulsifying

Delta-Decalactone

Masking
Fragrance Icon

Ethyl Butyrate

Perfuming
Fragrance Icon

Gamma-Nonalactone

Masking
Fragrance Icon

Gamma-Octalactone

Perfuming
Fragrance Icon

Methyl Anthranilate

Masking

Methyl Benzoate

Perfuming
Fragrance IconPreservative Icon

Mimosa Tenuiflora Bark Extract

Skin Protecting

Nerolidol

Perfuming
Fragrance Icon

Phenethyl Alcohol

Masking

Heliotropine

Masking
Fragrance Icon

Anisaldehyde

Masking
Fragrance Icon

Triethyl Citrate

Masking
Fragrance Icon

Vanillin

Masking
May worsen Eczema IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Rosacea IconEU Allergen Icon

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.

Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.

It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.

Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
UV Absorber, UV Filter

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 Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber, UV Filter

Ethylhexyl Salicylate is an organic compound used to block UV rays. It primarily absorbs UVB rays but offers a small amount of UVA protection as well.

Commonly found in sunscreens, Ethylhexyl Salicylate is created from salicylic acid and 2-ethylhexanol. You might know salicylic acid as the effective acne fighter ingredient and BHA.

The ethylhexanol in this ingredient is a fatty alcohol and helps hydrate your skin, similar to oils. It is an emollient, which means it traps moisture into the skin.

According to manufacturers, Ethylhexyl Salicylate absorbs UV wavelength of 295-315 nm, with a peak absorption at 307-310 nm. UVA rays are linked to long term skin damage, such as hyperpigmentation. UVB rays emit more energy and are capable of damaging our DNA. UVB rays cause sunburn.

Learn more about Ethylhexyl Salicylate
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin
Skin Conditioning, UV Absorber, UV Filter

Homosalate 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 Homosalate
UV Absorber, UV Filter

Octocrylene 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 Octocrylene
Cleansing, Emulsifying, Skin Conditioning

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an emulsifier and helps condition the skin. It is amino acid-based.

In higher amounts, it may act as a cleansing agent.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

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