What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialZinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningLauryl Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientDiisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientLauryl Lactate
EmollientPolyamide-5
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDiazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Tetrasodium EDTA
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Zinc Oxide, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propylene Glycol, Cyclomethicone, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Gluconate, Lauryl Laurate, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Lauryl Lactate, Polyamide-5, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Lactic Acid, Decyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Diazolidinyl Urea, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Propylparaben
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingDimethicone
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Lactate
EmollientCetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantSteareth-21
CleansingAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Diisopropyl Adipate
EmollientBenzylidene Dimethoxydimethylindanone
Skin ProtectingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Triethanolamine
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Farnesol
Perfuming
Methylparaben
Preservative
Tetrasodium EDTA
Butylparaben
Masking
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
BHT
Antioxidant
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Glycerin, Octocrylene, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Steareth-2, Dimethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Lactate, Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, CI 77891, Steareth-21, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Diisopropyl Adipate, Benzylidene Dimethoxydimethylindanone, Phenoxyethanol, Triethanolamine, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Farnesol, Methylparaben, Tetrasodium EDTA, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, BHT, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateMethylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol (Tinosorb M) is a hybrid and broad-spectrum UV ingredient. It is both a UV absorber and filter.
UV absorbers are an agent that absorbs UV rays. They protect your skin by using chemical reactions to convert UV rays into heat and energy. UV filters physically reduce the amount of UV rays from reaching your skin.
Tinosorb M covers a range of 280-400 nm and is photostable. This ingredient is neither oil or water soluble.
Tinosorb M is not available in the US. However, it is available in the EU and Asia.
It's sister, Tinosorb S, is set to be approved in the US by late 2025 (fingers crossed!).
Learn more about Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl TetramethylbutylphenolMethylparaben is a synthetic preservative and one of the most widely used in the world. It has a simple, but important job: prevent your products from going bad by stopping bacteria, yeast, and mold from growing.
Typical use levels are low, often 0.1-0.3%.
This is also one of the most heavily studied preservatives out there and major regulatory bodies have repeatedly given it the green light.
In 2023, the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) confirmed that this ingredient is safe up to 0.4% on its own, of up to 0.8% when mixed with other paraben esters.
Here's the science behind the noise behind parabens/hormones as well:
Methylparaben shows very weak estrogen-like activity in vitro tests (more than 1,000x weaker than your body's own estradiol). In vivo (live-organism) studies don't support a meaningful endocrine-disrupting effect either.
You get a stronger estrogenic effect from eating tofu, actually.
It's also a low sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon; they usually happen on damage or broken skin.
There is a caveat: France has proposed to formally re-examine its endocrine classification in 2025 so the regulatory conversation isn't fully closed as of yet.
But as it stands today, this ingredient is considered safe at permitted levels.
Learn more about MethylparabenPropylparaben is a preservative and one of the most widely used members of the paraben family (it's been used in cosmetics for over a century now).
It works by disrupting microbial cell membranes and enzymes, and is a broad-spectrum protector that works exceptionally well against molds, yeasts, and gram-positive bacteria.
You'll likely see it paired with methylparaben to cover the full range (including gram-negative bacteria).
This ingredient is effective at low concentrations (~0.2-0.5%) and stable across a wide pH range (4.5-7.5 pH). It's effectiveness drops off above pH 8 and it can lose potency when combined with non-ionic surfactants like polysorbate 80 due to micellization.
The regulatory bodies have concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics. The EU has capped it at 0.14% and combined parabens are not to exceed 0.8%.
While parabens do cross the stratum corneum, only about 1% remains for absorption into the body. This is because most of it is metabolized within living skin.
Learn more about PropylparabenTetrasodium EDTA is the salt formed from neutralizing ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid with sodium hydroxide. It is a chelating agent and used to prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps keep the product and ingredients stable.
Tetrasodium EDTA comes as a white solid and is soluble in water.
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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
