What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingCopernicia Cerifera Wax
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Candelilla Cera
Emollient
Ozokerite
Emulsion StabilisingTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Homosalate
Skin Conditioning
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Garcinia Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter
Emollient
Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Silica
Abrasive
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialIsostearic Acid
Cleansing
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Oil
Emollient
Soybean Glycerides
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables
Skin Conditioning
Phenylethyl Resorcinol
Antioxidant
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningLinoleic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Myristate, Cera Microcristallina, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Candelilla Cera, Ozokerite, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Homosalate, Octocrylene, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Garcinia Indica Seed Butter, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Titanium Dioxide, Silica, Jojoba Esters, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Zinc Oxide, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Isostearic Acid, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Tocopherol, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Oil, Soybean Glycerides, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningOctocrylene
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Montanate
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Emulsifying Wax Nf
Acrylates Crosspolymer
AbsorbentMethylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Squalane
Emollient
Ozonized Sesame Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Montanate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Emulsifying Wax Nf, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Squalane, Ozonized Sesame Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Isopropyl Palmitate, Niacinamide, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexyl Salicylate (also called Octisalate or Octyl Salicylate) is an oil-soluble organic UV filter that's been used in sunscreen since the 1950's.
It absorbs UVB light in the 280-320 nm range with a peak absorbance around 306 nm.
You'll often see it paired with other UV filters to boost overall SPF because octisalate is a fairly week filter on its own.
The reason you'll see it so often is because it can help solubilize and stabilize the trickier filters like oxybenzone and avobenzone.
Unlike these filters, octisalate has pretty good photostability and doesn't create skin-damaging free radicals when exposed to sunlight.
The fatty-alcohol part of the molecule also gives it a light, emollient feel so it doubles as a nice texture enhancer.
Usage levels vary around the world:
Safety-wise, this ingredient has a pretty reassuring track record. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) found very low skin penetration in human skin tests and negative results for irritation, phototoxicity, and photoallergy.
The real-world allergy risk is pretty low too; a 2012 European study of 1,031 people recorded only 2 reactions to it (a rate of 0.19%).
You might have seen scary headlines about sunscreen getting into your blood.
In 2019, the FDA found that several chemical filters can absorb through the skin and show up in the bloodstream at small but measurable levels.
Here's the important part: these tiny levels are just a cutoff the FDA uses to decide which ingredients need more testing and doesn't mean anything harmful was found.
The researchers were clear that the results are no reason to stop wearing sunscreen.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl SalicylateOctocrylene 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 Octocrylene
