EltaMD, Inc UV Active Broad-Spectrum SPF 50+ Versus Eucerin Sun Allergy Protect Sun Gel-Creme SPF 50+
This mineral sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
This chemical sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zinc Oxide 19%
Cosmetic Colorant
Titanium Dioxide 4%
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Ethyl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
C15-19 Alkane
SolventHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientSodium Chloride
MaskingTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Silica
Abrasive
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Disteardimonium Hectorite
Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDimethicone
Emollient
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
Emollient
Pullulan
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Polygonum Aviculare Extract
EmollientMalic Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Zinc Oxide 19%, Titanium Dioxide 4%, Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Ethyl Macadamiate, Glycerin, Sorbitan Olivate, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, C15-19 Alkane, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Sodium Chloride, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Silica, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Behenate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone, Sclerotium Gum, Lecithin, Pullulan, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Jojoba Esters, Polygonum Aviculare Extract, Malic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDibutyl Adipate
EmollientDistarch Phosphate
AbsorbentDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientPhenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV Absorber
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glucosylrutin
Antioxidant
Isoquercitrin
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
C18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate
EmollientCopernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Trisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingWater, Alcohol Denat., Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Isopropyl Palmitate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dibutyl Adipate, Distarch Phosphate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Glucosylrutin, Isoquercitrin, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Tocopherol, Glycerin, C18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil, Cetyl Palmitate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Trisodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
