What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDibutyl Adipate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Arginine
Masking
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingUbiquinone
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Dibutyl Adipate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Arginine, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Ubiquinone, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningOctocrylene
UV Absorber
Tribehenin PEG-20 Esters
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Diisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientHomosalate
Skin Conditioning
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientAluminum Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantAngelica Archangelica Root Extract
Masking
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
BHT
Antioxidant
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Calcium Sodium Phosphosilicate
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cinnamal
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Citronellol
Perfuming
Citrus Aurantium Amara Peel Extract
MaskingCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Farnesol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Glycine
Buffering
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingHydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
Emollient
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil
Skin Conditioning
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantPEG-8
HumectantPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Pongamia Pinnata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Ruby Powder
Skin ConditioningSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lactate Methylsilanol
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Octocrylene, Tribehenin PEG-20 Esters, Glycerin, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Homosalate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Aluminum Hydroxide, Aluminum Stearate, Angelica Archangelica Root Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, BHT, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Caffeine, Calcium Sodium Phosphosilicate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Cinnamal, Citric Acid, Citronellol, Citrus Aurantium Amara Peel Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Cyclohexasiloxane, Decyl Glucoside, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, Disodium EDTA, Farnesol, Geraniol, Glycine, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Hydrolyzed Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Hydroxycitronellal, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Lecithin, Limonene, Linalool, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Maltodextrin, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Mica, PEG-8, Polysorbate 60, Pongamia Pinnata Seed Extract, Propylene Glycol, Ruby Powder, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lactate Methylsilanol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Salicylic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Parfum, CI 14700, CI 19140, CI 77891
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is better known as bemotrizinol or Tinosorb S and is one of the best broad-spectrum UV filters in modern sunscreen.
It works by absorbing UV light across a whole range (280-400 nm) with peaks around 310 nm (UVB) and 340-345 nm (UVA). This means it covers UVB plus the deeper UVA wavelengths that drive photoaging and pigmentation.
Another pro?
It's exceptionally photostable, barely degrades in sunlight, and acts as a "bodyguard" for less stable filters.
That's why you'll see it paired with avobenzone or octinoxate; this team up ensures they keep working through sun exposure.
Safety reviews have been reassuring across the board. This ingredient shows low absorption through the skin, rarely irritates, and lab studies found it doesn't act like a hormone in the body (a concern that's been raised about some older sunscreen filters).
On maximum concentrations:
In 2026, the US F.D.A finally added it as an OTC sunscreen ingredient at concentrations up to 6% for adults / children 6 months and older
Learn more about Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl TriazineC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.
Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is more commonly known as Ensulizole, a chemical sunscreen ingredient.
Ensulizole mainly protects UV-B (290-340 nm) but offers a little UV-A (320-400 nm) protection. It is often paired with less photo-stable sunscreen ingredients due to its photo-stability.
Due to it being water-soluble, Ensulizole helps give sunscreens a light and non-oily texture.
Ensulizole is approved worldwide:
Learn more about Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic AcidWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
