What's inside

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Show highlights for:

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%

UV Absorber
UV Protection IconChemical UV Filter Icon

Homosalate 5%

Skin Conditioning
UV Protection IconChemical UV Filter IconNon-Reef-Safe Icon

Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%

UV Absorber
0 / 0 UV Protection IconChemical UV Filter IconNon-Reef-Safe Icon

Octocrylene 2.8%

UV Absorber
UV Protection IconChemical UV Filter IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay cause irritation IconNon-Reef-Safe Icon

Benzophenone-3 3%

UV Absorber
0 / 0 UV Protection IconChemical UV Filter IconMay cause irritation IconNon-Reef-Safe Icon

Water

Skin Conditioning

Alcohol Denat.

Antimicrobial
Alcohol IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Tocopheryl Acetate

Antioxidant
0 / 0 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Antimicrobial
Antioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Masking
Fragrance IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Algae Extract

Emollient

Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract

Skin Conditioning

Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Squalane

Emollient
1 / 0 Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Hordeum Vulgare Extract

Emollient

Lilium Tigrinum Extract

Skin Conditioning

Opuntia Tuna Fruit Extract

Skin Conditioning

Caffeine

Skin Conditioning
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Acrylates Copolymer

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Masking
Coconut Derived IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Caprylyl Glycol

Emollient
Fatty Alcohol Icon

Cholesterol

Emollient
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Ergothioneine

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Sucrose

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Alcaligenes Polysaccharides

Emollient

Thermus Thermophillus Ferment

Skin Conditioning

Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate

Emulsifying
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Antioxidant
Vitamin C IconAntioxidant IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Skin Texture Icon

Hexylene Glycol

Emulsifying
0-2 / 0-1

Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer

Sodium Hydroxide

Buffering

Dehydroxanthan Gum

Emulsion Stabilising

Dipropylene Glycol

Humectant

Carbomer

Emulsion Stabilising
1 / 0

PPG-8-Ceteth-20

Emulsifying

Dextrin Palmitate

Emulsifying
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Cyclodextrin

Absorbent

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Emulsion Stabilising

Sorbeth-30 Tetraisostearate

Emulsifying
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glyceryl Stearate

Emollient
1 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Silicon Icon

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

BHT

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Ethylbisiminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Disodium EDTA

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon

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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

Also known as Avobenzone, this ingredient is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-A range.

Avobenzone is globally approved and is the most commonly used UV-A filter in the world.

Studies have found that avobenzone becomes ineffective when exposed to UV light (it is not photostable; meaning that it breaks down in sunlight). Because of this, formulations that include avobenzone will usually contain stabilizers such as octocrylene.

However, some modern formulations (looking at you, EU!) are able to stabilize avobenzone by coating the molecules.

Avobenzone does not protect against the UV-B range, so it's important to check that the sunscreen you're using contains other UV filters that do!

The highest concentration of avobenzone permitted is 3% in the US, and 5% in the EU.

Learn more about Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Glycerin (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 Glycerin
Emollient, Emulsifying

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 Stearate
Buffering

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Learn more about Sodium Hydroxide
Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning

Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.

One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.

Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.

Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate
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. Remember to stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

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