What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHomosalate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Cetearyl Olivate
Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea
Skin ConditioningOpuntia Coccinellifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
Antioxidant
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Polyacrylate-13
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Polyisobutene
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Water, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Octocrylene, Cetearyl Olivate, Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea, Opuntia Coccinellifera Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Madecassoside, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Olivate, Polyacrylate-13, Dimethicone, Sodium Hydroxide, PEG-100 Stearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Polyisobutene, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Parfum
Hydrolyzed Chestnut Extract
Skin ProtectingCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantLauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialAcrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer
Limonia Acidissima Extract
Skin ConditioningOpuntia Ficus-Indica Extract
Skin Conditioning
Verbena Officinalis Leaf Extract
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
Masking
Psidium Guajava Leaf Extract
AstringentRosa Rugosa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-4
Skin Conditioning
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Sulfate
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Quaternium-18 Bentonite
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientStearic Acid
Cleansing
Hydrogen Dimethicone
Water
Skin ConditioningSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientSodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Lecithin
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantHexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Hydrolyzed Chestnut Extract, Cyclopentasiloxane, Silica, Zinc Oxide, Dipropylene Glycol, Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone, Isopropyl Palmitate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Caprylyl Methicone, Titanium Dioxide, Alcohol Denat., C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Limonia Acidissima Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract, Verbena Officinalis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Psidium Guajava Leaf Extract, Rosa Rugosa Flower Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Magnesium Sulfate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Quaternium-18 Bentonite, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Water, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Potassium Sorbate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Isopropyl Myristate, Isostearic Acid, Lecithin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77491, CI 77492, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.
Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexyl 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 SalicylateTocopheryl 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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
