Dear Me Beauty Skin Barrier Sunscreen Gel SPF50+ PA++++ Versus Implora Perfect Shield Gel Sunscreen SPF 30 PA+++
This mineral sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAloe Ferox Leaf Juice Extract
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/Polytrimethylsiloxymethacrylate Copolymer
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-7
Propanediol
Solvent
Isohexadecane
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Acrylates Crosspolymer
AbsorbentPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Laureth-1 Phosphate
SurfactantEctoin
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Aloe Ferox Leaf Juice Extract, Acrylates/Polytrimethylsiloxymethacrylate Copolymer, Polyquaternium-7, Propanediol, Isohexadecane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Chlorphenesin, Polysorbate 60, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Allantoin, Panthenol, Laureth-1 Phosphate, Ectoin, Potassium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingHydrolyzed Wheat Protein/Pvp Crosspolymer
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Methylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientPropylparaben
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Lecithin
Emollient
Tetrasodium EDTA
ChelatingHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Trideceth-10
CleansingDimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
ChelatingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Dipotassium EDTA
ChelatingAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Humectant
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Skin Conditioning
Dipeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Nonapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Pentapeptide-8
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Octocrylene, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein/Pvp Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Methylparaben, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Propylparaben, Citric Acid, Parfum, Lecithin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Collagen, 1,2-Hexanediol, Trideceth-10, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Pentylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Chlorphenesin, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Dipotassium EDTA, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Dipeptide-2, Hexapeptide-11, Nonapeptide-1, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Pentapeptide-8
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinChlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.
Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.
Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.
Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.
Learn more about ChlorphenesinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
