Versus

EltaMD, Inc UV Sheer Broad-Spectrum SPF50+ Serum Versus La Roche-Posay Anthelios Clear Skin Dry Touch Sunscreen SPF 60

Sunscreen
Sunscreen
American Brand United States
French Brand France

Updated on August 24, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both sunscreens. They have a total of 6 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain SPF

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin

Free From

They both do not contain any common allergens, oils, parabens or sulfates

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

What's inside (and what isn't)

What's inside (and what isn't)

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
Anthelios Clear Skin Dry Touch Sunscreen SPF 60

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

UV Absorber, UV Filter

Octocrylene 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 Octocrylene
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Water. 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. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Butyloctyl Salicylate is similar to octisalate. It a photostabilizer, SPF booster, emollient and solvent. Its main purpose is to evenly spread out ingredients.

This ingredient is a common sunscreen ingredient carrier and photostabilizer. According to a manufacturer, it is suitable for carrying micro Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, and pigments.

Photostabilizers help stabilize UV-filters and prevents them from degrading quickly.

Due to regulation loopholes, this ingredient is not required to be labeled as an active chemical filter like other UV ingredients. This is why you'll likely find this ingredient in mineral sunscreens from the US.

According to EU regulation, this ingredient can cause harmful effects to aquatic life.

Learn more about Butyloctyl Salicylate
Preservative

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming

Xanthan 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

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA

When to use

22 Routines
100% use in am
0% use in pm
91% use every day
166 Routines
96% use in am
4% use in pm
95% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

EltaMD, Inc UV Sheer Broad-Spectrum SPF50+ Serum 23 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 rating
Absorbs Well (1) Expensive (1) Hydrating (1)
Brody9304's avatar

Brody9304

1 year ago
Review

I quite like this sunscreen by EltaMD. One of my favorite talking points about this sunscreen is the vitamin C derivative it contains, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THD), which is oil-soluble. THD is able to much more readily penetrate the compacted hydrophobic (water repellent) lipid matrix of the stratum corneum versus other vitamin C derivatives used in skincare. This product also contains Show more

#expensive
#hydrating
#light
#absorbs well

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Clear Skin Dry Touch Sunscreen SPF 60 33 ingredients

2.5 /5
from 4 ratings
Pilling (3) Light (1)
SavannahSilvas_591's avatar

SavannahSilvas_591

2 years ago
Review

Love!
Doesn’t pill, no white cast and non greasy formulation. What more can you ask for. Decently priced.

AndieGlass's avatar

AndieGlass

1 year ago
Review

This sunscreen could be great. It’s not oily and it’s one of the only sunscreens that’s I’ve used that doesn’t make me oily and it holds well at work because my skin is still matte by the end of my shift (I don’t care for that “glow” that some brands advertise because it just makes my oily skin look OILY). The only problem I had was that this sunscreen does pill from time to time and that is the Show more

#light
#pilling