What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 10%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 8%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyester-27
Silica
Abrasive
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Isododecane
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 10%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%, Octocrylene 8%, Water, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Glycerin, Polyester-27, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Isododecane, Arachidyl Alcohol, Beeswax, Ethylhexylglycerin, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Potassium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Parfum
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Homosalate
Skin Conditioning
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCeteth-10 Phosphate
CleansingDicetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Methylparaben
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Hydrogenated Methyl Abietate
Lauryl PEG-8 Dimethicone
Surfactant
Phenylisopropyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate/Isostearate/Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer
Skin ConditioningSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Homosalate, Octocrylene, Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Dicetyl Phosphate, Coco-Glucoside, Methylparaben, Xanthan Gum, Propylparaben, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Hydrogenated Methyl Abietate, Lauryl PEG-8 Dimethicone, Phenylisopropyl Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate/Isostearate/Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
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 MethoxydibenzoylmethaneDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinHomosalate is an oil-soluble organic UVB filter that has been a sunscreen staple for decades. Its job is to absorb UVB rays (~295-315 nm) and protect your skin against sunburn,
This is one of the more photostable organic UV filters; it holds up pretty well under UV and a 2022 quantum-chemistry study found it stays stable in sunlight.
It's actually so reliable that formulators often pair it with shakier ingredients like oxybenzone and avobenzone. Formulators also use it to help dissolve the other UV filters into the oil phase.
One thing to keep in mind: "stable" isn't the same as "strong". On its own, homosalate is actually a pretty weak UV filter so it's better off as a helpful team player that helps boost overall SPF protection.
The safety picture is a bit nuanced but not scary.
This ingredient has a long track record of being gentle and regulators agree it isn't an irritant; EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety found that homosalate is not considered a skin irritant and doesn't raise eye-irritation flags either.
There's talk about homosalate because your skin absorbs a little bit of it into your bloodstream. A 2020 FDA-backed study found homosalate showed up in people's blood levels at the level where the FDA decides to double check.
The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) also found small amounts in blood and breast milk. They estimated that about 5% of what you apply gets absorbed through the skin.
Due to the debate about whether it might mess with hormones, the SCCS recommended a maximum limit of 0.5% in most products of 7.3% in face creams/pump sprays.
One important thing to keep in mind: in the US, Homosalate is currently labeled "non-GRASE" by the FDA. This sounds alarming but really just means the FDA wants more data to confirm it's safe. It's not confidently saying this ingredient is harmful.
As of now, homosalate is still completely legal and widely used while that research gets done.
The current maximum limits are:
Learn more about HomosalateOctocrylene is an oil-soluble organic UV filter that mainly absorbs UVB and short wave UVA II light.
Its real superpower is teamwork: octocrylene is remarkably photostable and is most famous for stabilizing avobenzone (the workhorse UVA filter).
This ingredient is commonly used to enhance both UVB and UVA protection due to its unique property in stabilizing avobenzone. It also pulls double duty by boosting water resistance and giving formulas a smooth, spreadable feel.
The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has deemed octocrylene to be safe as a UV-filter at concentrations up to 10% (capped at 9% in propellant sprays). The US also permits it up to 10%.
Two things worth knowing:
You'll usually see this ingredient used in concentrations between 2-10% (higher amounts when used as a stabilizer for avobenzone).
Learn more about OctocrylenePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (SAP) is a water-soluble form of Vitamin C. It is the salt of ascorbic acid.
This ingredient is commonly used in skincare because it's more formulation-stable while still offering the same benefits as pure ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is notorious for breaking down when exposed to sunlight and oxygen whereas SAP has been shown to be more stable.
Studies show SAP has anti-acne and antioxidant benefits. One study found 5% of SAP lotion to be an effective ingredient for treating acne vulgaris. This is because research shows that SAP may help control acne by reducing acne-causing bacteria and slowing the oxidation of skin oils caused by UV exposure.
In addition to acne, vitamin C is important for skin structure. Lab studies suggest SAP may support collagen production in skin cells, making it a great ingredient in anti-aging routines.
Vitamin C has many benefits: it helps reduce redness, improve skin texture, fade the appearance of dark spots, and brighten the skin.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Learn more about Sodium Ascorbyl 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 Water
