What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Dimethicone
Emollient
PEG-10 Glyceryl Stearate
Emulsifying
Homosalate
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate
Skin ConditioningMethylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Silica
Abrasive
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin ConditioningBHT
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Dimethicone, PEG-10 Glyceryl Stearate, Homosalate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Silica, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate, Niacinamide, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, BHT, Citric Acid
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialZinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV Absorber
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Tapioca Starch
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Alumina
Abrasive
Simethicone
Emollient
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Caprylyl Methicone, PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Zinc Oxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Niacinamide, Tapioca Starch, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Titanium Dioxide, Alumina, Simethicone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is better known as bemotrizinol or Tinosorb S and is one of the best broad-spectrum UV filters in modern sunscreen.
It works by absorbing UV light across a whole range (280-400 nm) with peaks around 310 nm (UVB) and 340-345 nm (UVA). This means it covers UVB plus the deeper UVA wavelengths that drive photoaging and pigmentation.
Another pro?
It's exceptionally photostable, barely degrades in sunlight, and acts as a "bodyguard" for less stable filters.
That's why you'll see it paired with avobenzone or octinoxate; this team up ensures they keep working through sun exposure.
Safety reviews have been reassuring across the board. This ingredient shows low absorption through the skin, rarely irritates, and lab studies found it doesn't act like a hormone in the body (a concern that's been raised about some older sunscreen filters).
On maximum concentrations:
In 2026, the US F.D.A finally added it as an OTC sunscreen ingredient at concentrations up to 6% for adults / children 6 months and older
Learn more about Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl TriazineC12-15 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 BenzoateCentella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is derived from an herb native to Southeast Asia. It is famous for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.
Centella is rich in antioxidants and amino acids, such as Madecassic Acid and Asiaticoside.
Studies show the compounds in centella help with:
The combination of all these properties makes centella effective at soothing, hydrating, and protecting the skin.
Other great components of centella include Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and Asiatic Acid.
Fun fact: Centella has been used as a medicine and in food for many centuries. As a medicine, it is used to treat burns, scratches, and wounds.
Learn more about Centella Asiatica ExtractNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about Niacinamide
