Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of EltaMD, Inc UV Shield Broad-Spectrum SPF 45 versus Milani SPF BFF SPF30 Primer .
Published on June 01, 2023
Overview
Cool Features
They both contain SPF and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne and brightening skin
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, parabens, silicones or sulfates
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Sunscreen
Sunscreens help absorb or reflect UV radiation and protect skin against skin damage. Sunscreens may come in the form of lotion, gel, foam, spray, or solid-stick.
Face Primer
A base to help makeup products last longer on the face or to help control shine.
Price
Ingredient Info
EltaMD, Inc UV Shield Broad-Spectrum SPF 45 19 ingredients
Milani SPF BFF SPF30 Primer 19 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Not Reef Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not reef safe:
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Not Reef Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not reef safe:
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
EltaMD, Inc UV Shield Broad-Spectrum SPF 45 19 ingredients
Milani SPF BFF SPF30 Primer 19 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
EltaMD, Inc UV Shield Broad-Spectrum SPF 45 19 ingredients
Milani SPF BFF SPF30 Primer 19 ingredients
Zinc Oxide 9% • Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5% • Water • Isopropyl Palmitate • Ethylhexyl Stearate • Cetearyl Alcohol • Polysorbate 60 • Oleth-3 Phosphate • Phenoxyethanol • Cetearyl Glucoside • Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer • Polyisobutene • Polyether-1 • Butylene Glycol • Peg-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether • Tocopheryl Acetate • Citric Acid • Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate • Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3% • Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.3% • Octocrylene 3% • Water • Glycerin • Isohexadecane • Sodium Caprylate • Peg-8 • Polysorbate 80 • Xanthan Gum • Tocopherol • Glycine Soja Oil • Retinyl Palmitate • Ethylhexylglycerin • Citric Acid • Disodium EDTA • Phenoxyethanol • CI 15985 • CI 16035
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate is an organic compound that provides UVB protection. It often goes by the more common name of octinoxate. It is created from methoxycinnamic acid and 2-ethylhexanol.
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate absorbs UVB rays with wavelengths between 280-320 nm. UV absorbers protect your skin by using chemical reactions to convert UV rays into heat and energy.
UVB (290-320 nm) rays emit more energy than UVA rays. They are capable of damaging DNA, causing sunburns and are thought to be linked to skin cancer.
The state of Hawaii has banned sunscreens containing octinoxate due to its potential impact on coral reefs. More research is needed to bridge gaps in this research. The European Union allows higher levels of octinoxate in sunscreens than the US and Australia.
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate is oil soluble. It is not stable and may lose efficacy when exposed to sunlight.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl MethoxycinnamateEltaMD, Inc UV Shield Broad-Spectrum SPF 45 contains this as ingredient number 2.
Milani SPF BFF SPF30 Primer contains this as ingredient number 2.
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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterEltaMD, Inc UV Shield Broad-Spectrum SPF 45 contains this as ingredient number 3.
Milani SPF BFF SPF30 Primer contains this as ingredient number 4.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and 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.
EltaMD, Inc UV Shield Broad-Spectrum SPF 45 contains this as ingredient number 9.
Milani SPF BFF SPF30 Primer contains this as ingredient number 17.
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.
As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidEltaMD, Inc UV Shield Broad-Spectrum SPF 45 contains this as ingredient number 17.
Milani SPF BFF SPF30 Primer contains this as ingredient number 15.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
EltaMD, Inc UV Shield Broad-Spectrum SPF 45 19 ingredients
Milani SPF BFF SPF30 Primer 19 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
EltaMD, Inc UV Shield Broad-Spectrum SPF 45 19 ingredients
Milani SPF BFF SPF30 Primer 19 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
EltaMD, Inc UV Shield Broad-Spectrum SPF 45 19 ingredients
a.b.c.d.e
Lesvds me glowing and hydrated
I use this every morning and it blends in perfectly with no White cast at the end and leaves my skin feeling soft,...
Lesvds me glowing and hydrated
I use this every morning and it blends in perfectly with no White cast at the end and leaves my skin feeling soft, hydrated, dewy, and glowy!
BrodyTosi
This was the first product by EltaMD I ever used, and overall my experience was good through three months of use. This SPF in particular is a dual...
This was the first product by EltaMD I ever used, and overall my experience was good through three months of use. This SPF in particular is a dual chemical/physical filter using 9% zinc oxide and 7.5% octinoxate. Sometimes in particular with chemical UV filters irritation is an important consideration, and I bring this up because while researching this product I did find a small amount of study findings that point to octinoxate causing an inflammatory/irritating response for some individuals (especially skin types with rosacea, eczema, or psoriasis). Speaking anecdotally, (while I do have very sensitive skin) this chemical filter in particular did not cause me any irritation, as did not any other ingredients in this product. I found UV Shield to have almost no scent as well as leaving a finish that isn't particularly shiny or overly matte (I love this aspect in particular comparative to other EltaMD sunscreens). My only concern with this product is something I think is seldom considered in choosing moisturizers/sunscreens, and that is its emollient ingredient contents and potential for breakouts, especially in acne-prone skin. Oftentimes individuals look to the term "pore-clogging" and first think of heavy occulsive ingredients such as petrolatum and dimethicone. Personally, while I do agree that heavier occulsives can indirectly contribute to clogged pores they are not the culprit in many cases. When looking at comedogenicity (measure of "pore-clogging" potential) for ingredients, occulsives more often than not rank low because they act as a physical barrier to the skin that doesn't readily penetrate the outermost stratum corneum. On the other hand, emollients are more prone to rank higher in comedogenicity because they function to help soften and smooth skin via (much) better penetrating the stratum corneum. Both emollients and occulsives can be crucial for prevention of transepidermal water loss, with the latter being more often heavily implicated in extreme cases of dryness. In the instance of this product, I came to find out isopropyl palmitate is ranked high on the comedogenicity scale (3-4 out of 5). I did also end up suffering from increased breakout incidences with my personal use this product. The ultimate silver lining to this spiel, however, is that all skin reacts differently and while emollients ranking high in comedogenicity like isopropyl palmitate may quite visibly worsen acne in some individuals, a null effect may just as likely be observed in others.
Milani SPF BFF SPF30 Primer 19 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 17 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to EltaMD, Inc UV Shield Broad-Spectrum SPF 45.
See 17 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 4 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Milani SPF BFF SPF30 Primer.
See 4 alternatives