Updated on March 06, 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
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
Estée Lauder Perfectionist Pro Multi-Defense Aqua UV Gel SPF 50 50 ingredients
Nivea UV Face Sensitive Protect SPF 50 9 ingredients
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Estée Lauder Perfectionist Pro Multi-Defense Aqua UV Gel SPF 50 50 ingredients
Nivea UV Face Sensitive Protect SPF 50 9 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 6 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
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Ingredients Side-by-side
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.
Non-Reef-Safe
Homosalate is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-B range (280nm - 320 nm), with a peak protection at 306 nm. It is internationally approved for use in sunscreens.
5 Concerns
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
2 Concerns
Ethylhexyl Salicylate is an organic compound used to block UV rays. It primarily absorbs UVB rays but offers a small amount of UVA protection as well.
2 Concerns
Also known as Avobenzone, this ingredient is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-A range.
2 Concerns
You probably know this ingredient as Oxybenzone, a sunscreen ingredient. It is a broad-spectrum sunscreen ingredient, meaning it can protect the skin against UVB and short UVA rays. The absorption range is 270-350 nm with peak absorption at 288 and 350 nm.
2 Concerns
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.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Polymethylsilsesquioxane is a silicone used as a film forming agent.
5 Benefits
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract is derived from the leaves of the tea plant. Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from this plant.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
This ingredient is extracted from the germ part of the wheat plant. The germ of a plant refers to the seed embryo, or part that sprouts into a new plant.
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract comes from the Japanese Knotweed plant native to Japan, Korea, and China.
Lilium Tigrinum Extract comes from the Lily flower native to east Asia. It is more commonly known as "Tiger Lily".
Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract is a type of kelp. It helps sooth and hydrate the skin. By nourishing the skin's barrier, it may also help relieve irritation.
Sucrose is a natural sugar found in fruits, vegetables, and nuts. It is the main constituent of white sugar.
Caffeine is most associated with coffee, tea, and cacao. In skincare, it helps with calming inflammation and anti-aging.
Cholesterol is a class of organic molecules called lipids. It helps hydrate your skin and is essential to having a healthy skin barrier.
Squalane is an emollient that helps the skin hold onto moisture. It's an oily liquid that occurs naturally in certain types of fish and plant oils.
Dextrin Palmitate comes from the palmitic acid ester of Dextrin. It is used as an emulsifier and texture enhancer.
Glyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.
Algae Extract is derived from Algae. Algae is an informal term for a group of aquatic organisms that can photosynthesize. It is estimated there are at least 30,000 types of Algae.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
Antioxidant Helps brighten skin
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.
Sorbeth-30 Tetraisostearate isn't fungal acne safe.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken and improve the texture of products.
Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created stabilizer and solvent. It is a part of the glycol class in the alcohol family.
Antioxidant 4 Benefits Not safe for Fungal Acne
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate is a version of ascorbic acid, or pure Vitamin C.
Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate isn't fungal acne safe.
EUK-134 is known for its ability to mimic SOD and catalase, two potent antioxidants. Antioxidants protect our cells from oxidative damage and premature aging.
We don't have a description for Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer.
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.
Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer (let's call it AAVC for short) is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Hexylene Glycol is a surfactant. Glycols are a class of alcohols. Hexylene Glycol is a surfactant and emulsifier.
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.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
This BHA stands for butylated hydroxyanisole. If you are looking for the beta-hydroxy acid, aka as Salicylic Acid, click here.
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.
Water, Homosalate, Alcohol Denat., Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Benzophenone-3, Octocrylene, Butylene Glycol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Thermus Thermophillus Ferment, Alcaligenes Polysaccharides, Glycerin, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Opuntia Tuna Leaf Extract, Lilium Tigrinum Extract, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Sucrose, Caffeine, Cholesterol, Ergothioneine, Squalane, Dextrin Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate, Algae Extract, Acrylates Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraisostearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dipropylene Glycol, Dehydroxanthan Gum, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate, Ethylbisiminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride, Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer, Carbomer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Ppg-8-Ceteth-20, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Cyclodextrin, Disodium EDTA, BHA, Phenoxyethanol
Non-Reef-Safe
Homosalate is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-B range (280nm - 320 nm), with a peak protection at 306 nm. It is internationally approved for use in sunscreens.
2 Concerns
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.
2 Concerns
Also known as Avobenzone, this ingredient is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-A range.
Ethylhexyl Triazone is a modern chemical sunscreen that protects from UV-B radiation.
Mineral UV Filter
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol (Tinosorb M) is a hybrid and broad-spectrum UV ingredient. It is both a UV absorber and filter.
You might know this ingredient as Tinosorb S or Bemotrizinol. It is a UV filter that covers both UVA and UVB rays.
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.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
1,2-Hexanediol is a multi-tasker ingredient. It acts as a preservative to increase shelf-life and can aid other preservatives in preventing microbe growth. 1,2-Hexanediol also helps the skin retain moisture as a humectant.
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Homosalate is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-B range (280nm - 320 nm), with a peak protection at 306 nm. It is internationally approved for use in sunscreens.
Homosalate is not photo-stable, meaning it's strength as a UV filter degrades over time with exposure to the sun. Because of this, it's often used in combination with other chemical sunscreen filters as avobenzone (which protects from the UV-A range). Homosalate also helps act as a solvent for harder-to-dissolve UV filters.
(Part of the reason that sunscreens need to be frequently re-applied is due to the photo instability of many chemical sunscreen filters)
Currently, homosalate is approved in concentrations up to 10% in the EU and 15% in the US. The FDA is currently doing further research on the effects of homosalate, and it is possible that these approved concentrations will change in the future.
Learn more about HomosalateAlso 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 MethoxydibenzoylmethaneOctocrylene 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 OctocryleneCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Ingredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
When to use
Estée Lauder Perfectionist Pro Multi-Defense Aqua UV Gel SPF 50 50 ingredients
Nivea UV Face Sensitive Protect SPF 50 9 ingredients
Reviews
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