Updated on June 29, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both sunscreens. They have a total of 5 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain SPF
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 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
EltaMD, Inc UV Shield Broad-Spectrum SPF 45 19 ingredients
The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Dewy Sunscreen SPF 30 40 ingredients
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
EltaMD, Inc UV Shield Broad-Spectrum SPF 45 19 ingredients
The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Dewy Sunscreen SPF 30 40 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Benefits
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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 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 WaterCetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.
Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.
Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholPolysorbate 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 60Phenoxyethanol 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.
This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
Ingredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
When to use
EltaMD, Inc UV Shield Broad-Spectrum SPF 45 19 ingredients
The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Dewy Sunscreen SPF 30 40 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.
The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Dewy Sunscreen SPF 30 40 ingredients
Valerija
I bought it as a moisturizing and priming sunscreen for colder months, but even in winter it would make my skin so sticky and oily after a few...
I bought it as a moisturizing and priming sunscreen for colder months, but even in winter it would make my skin so sticky and oily after a few hours. Moreover, during application the texture feels a little bit grainy even when shaken well before use.
If you use a toner and a serum underneath, get ready for pilling when applying makeup. I tried it with a lot of different serums and can tell that pilling is unavoidable unless you use it on bare skin. Then, at least for me, it absorbs almost completely (I have combination skin). So, with this sunscreen, you gotta choose whether you want to use a serum underneath or some makeup on top, as both are not an option.
I give it two stars because it is indeed hydrating and moisturizing, so I can appreciate that on a very dry winter day when I'm not using any other products. But exactly because of this I'm having a lot of trouble finishing it.