What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.9%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.9%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 9.5%
UV Absorber
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Isododecane
EmollientDiisooctyl Succinate
Emollient
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientSilica Caprylyl Silylate
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningEthyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Squalene
Emollient
Nylon-12
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.9%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.9%, Octocrylene 9.5%, Alcohol Denat., Butyloctyl Salicylate, Isododecane, Diisooctyl Succinate, Diheptyl Succinate, Silica Caprylyl Silylate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil, Bisabolol, Pvp, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Ethyl Ferulate, Tocopherol, Beta-Sitosterol, Squalene, Nylon-12, Lauroyl Lysine
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.9%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 9.8%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.9%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 9.5%
UV Absorber
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientDiethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientDiisooctyl Succinate
Emollient
Ethyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
Isododecane
EmollientLauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Astringent
Nylon-12
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Silica Caprylyl Silylate
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.9%, Homosalate 9.8%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.9%, Octocrylene 9.5%, Alcohol Denat., Bisabolol, Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Diheptyl Succinate, Diisooctyl Succinate, Ethyl Ferulate, Isododecane, Lauroyl Lysine, Mentha Piperita Oil, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Nylon-12, Pvp, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Silica Caprylyl Silylate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololAlso known as Avobenzone, this ingredient is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-A range.
Avobenzone is globally approved and is the most commonly used UV-A filter in the world.
Studies have found that avobenzone becomes ineffective when exposed to UV light (it is not photostable; meaning that it breaks down in sunlight). Because of this, formulations that include avobenzone will usually contain stabilizers such as octocrylene.
However, some modern formulations (looking at you, EU!) are able to stabilize avobenzone by coating the molecules.
Avobenzone does not protect against the UV-B range, so it's important to check that the sunscreen you're using contains other UV filters that do!
The highest concentration of avobenzone permitted is 3% in the US, and 5% in the EU.
Learn more about Butyl MethoxydibenzoylmethaneButyloctyl Salicylate is a chemical UV filter structurally similar to octisalate. It is a photostabilizer, SPF booster, emollient and solvent. This ingredient helps evenly spread out ingredients.
According to a manufacturer, it is suitable for pairing with micro Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, and pigments.
Photostabilizers help stabilize UV-filters and prevents them from degrading quickly.
Learn more about Butyloctyl SalicylateWe don't have a description for Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer yet.
Dicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.
As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Carbonate creates a film on the skin. This film traps moisture in, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
We don't have a description for Diheptyl Succinate yet.
Diisooctyl Succinate can be bad for acne prone skin.
Ethyl ferulate is an antioxidant derived from ferulic acid and ethyl alcohol. You'll most likely see this ingredient in sunscreens.
One study from 2014 found a concentration of 10% showed a similar SPF to Benzimidazole. Though this is considered a chemical UV filter, this ingredient is not listed as so. This is due to regulatory loopholes. You'll likely find this ingredient in "100% mineral" sunscreens.
This ingredient is typically found in concentrations between 0.5-1%. It is usually created synthetically or from rice bran oil.
Learn more about Ethyl FerulateEthylhexyl Salicylate is an organic compound used to block UV rays. It primarily absorbs UVB rays but offers a small amount of UVA protection as well.
Commonly found in sunscreens, Ethylhexyl Salicylate is created from salicylic acid and 2-ethylhexanol. You might know salicylic acid as the effective acne fighter ingredient and BHA.
The ethylhexanol in this ingredient is a fatty alcohol and helps hydrate your skin, similar to oils. It is an emollient, which means it traps moisture into the skin.
According to manufacturers, Ethylhexyl Salicylate absorbs UV wavelength of 295-315 nm, with a peak absorption at 307-310 nm. UVA rays are linked to long term skin damage, such as hyperpigmentation. UVB rays emit more energy and are capable of damaging our DNA. UVB rays cause sunburn.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl SalicylateIsododecane is a fragrance, emollient, and solvent.
As an emollient, it helps your skin stay soft and hydrated. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin.
Isododecane's role as a solvent makes it a great texture enhancer. It spreads smoothly on skin and does not leave a sticky feeling behind. Isododecane also helps prevent color transfer in makeup products.
Isododecane is not absorbed into skin.
The chemical name for this ingredient is 2,2,4,6,6-PENTAMETHYLHEPTANE.
Learn more about IsododecaneThis ingredient comes from a fatty acid (lauric acid) and amino acid (lysine). It is used to add a silky feel to cosmetics.
According to a manufacturer, its fatty acid base leaves a silky feeling on the skin. It also has emollient properties because of this. Emollients help soften skin by preventing water from evaporating.
Lauroyl lysine is barely soluble in water.
Learn more about Lauroyl LysineNylon-12 is a polymer. It is derived from 12-aminododecanoic acid, an omega-amino fatty acid
According to a manufacturer, it is a talc substitute. Like talc, nylon-12 gives products a satin feel. The manufacturer also claims this ingredients does not block pores and has moderate oil absorption.
This ingredient may not be reef-safe.
Learn more about Nylon-12Octocrylene protects skin from sun damage. It absorbs UV-B with peak absorption of 304 nm. It is a common sunscreen ingredient and often paired with avobenzone, a UVA filter. This is because octocrylene stabilizes other sunscreen ingredients by protecting them from degradation when exposed to sunlight. Octocrylene is a photostable ingredient and loses about 10% of SPF in 95 minutes.
Octocrylene also acts as an emollient, meaning it helps skin retain moisture and softens skin. It is oil-soluble and hydrophobic, enhancing water-resistant properties in a product.
Those who are using ketoprofen, a topical anti-inflammatory drug, may experience an allergic reaction when using octocrylene. It is best to speak with a healthcare professional about using sunscreens with octocrylene.
The EU allows a maximum of these concentrations:
Learn more about OctocrylenePvp is a water-soluble synthetic polymer and common hairstyling ingredient. It is a film-forming ingredient and used to "hold" specific shapes of hair.
In cosmetics, PVP helps products like sunscreens and color cosmetics last longer and wear more evenly.
It is less effective in high-humidity. It tends to draw moisture, but this moisture dismantles the structure and "hold".
PVP is generally well tolerated on skin and toxicity studies are negative for dermal irritation.
Learn more about PvpWe don't have a description for Silica Caprylyl Silylate yet.
