What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethyl Hexanediol
SolventDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientParfum
Masking
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
7-Dehydrocholesteryl Palmitate
Skin ProtectingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Titanium Dioxide, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Glyceryl Stearate, Polysorbate 60, Stearic Acid, Arachidyl Alcohol, Ethyl Hexanediol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, PEG-100 Stearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Behenyl Alcohol, Aluminum Hydroxide, Parfum, Arachidyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract, Arginine, Carbomer, Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, 7-Dehydrocholesteryl Palmitate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 9%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 5%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Acrylates Copolymer
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Ceteareth-20
CleansingEthylhexyl Methoxycrylene
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Isohexadecane
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
BHT
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingOenanthe Javanica Extract
AntimicrobialButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 9%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%, Octocrylene 5%, Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Propylene Glycol, Acrylates Copolymer, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Ceteareth-20, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Panthenol, Sorbitan Olivate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tromethamine, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Isohexadecane, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, BHT, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 80, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sorbitan Oleate, Xanthan Gum, Oenanthe Javanica Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolEthylhexyl 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 SalicylatePolysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Water. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
