What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 9%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 9%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingVp/Eicosene Copolymer
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 9%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%, Octocrylene 9%, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Tocopherol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Homosalate 10%
Skin Conditioning
Benzophenone-3 6%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 2.7%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
PPG-15 Stearyl Ether Benzoate
EmollientMannitol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Ethylhexylglyceryl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentPisum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningCassia Alata Leaf Extract
AstringentFaex Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentHydrolyzed Adansonia Digitata Extract
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Platanus Occidentalis Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingBenzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Homosalate 10%, Benzophenone-3 6%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Octocrylene 2.7%, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether Benzoate, Mannitol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Parfum, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Ethylhexylglyceryl Ascorbate, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Tocopherol, Cyclodextrin, Pisum Sativum Extract, Cassia Alata Leaf Extract, Faex Extract, Dextrin, Hydrolyzed Adansonia Digitata Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Platanus Occidentalis Bark Extract, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken and improve the texture of products. Due to its properties, it can prevent water and oil ingredients from separating.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceAlso 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 MethoxydibenzoylmethaneButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is made up of Benzoic Acid and long chain alcohols. It has a low molecular weight.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is an emollient and texture enhancer. Due to its solubility, it is often used in sunscreens to help evenly distribute active ingredients.
As an emollient, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate helps soften and hydrate your skin. Emollients create a film on your skin that traps moisture within.
This ingredient has been reported to cause eye irritation.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateEthylhexyl 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.
Commonly found in sunscreens, Ethylhexyl Salicylate is created from salicylic acid and 2-ethylhexanol. You might know salicylic acid as the effective acne fighter ingredient and BHA.
The ethylhexanol in this ingredient is a fatty alcohol and helps hydrate your skin, similar to oils. It is an emollient, which means it traps moisture into the skin.
According to manufacturers, Ethylhexyl Salicylate absorbs UV wavelength of 295-315 nm, with a peak absorption at 307-310 nm. UVA rays are linked to long term skin damage, such as hyperpigmentation. UVB rays emit more energy and are capable of damaging our DNA. UVB rays cause sunburn.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl SalicylateHomosalate 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 HomosalateOctocrylene 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 OctocryleneTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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 Water
