What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid 2%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%
UV Absorber
Titanium Dioxide 2.4%
Cosmetic Colorant
Zinc Oxide 4.8%
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDimethicone
Emollient
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPEG-40
HumectantRicinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTrisodium EDTA
Alumina
Abrasive
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Simethicone
Emollient
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid 2%, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%, Titanium Dioxide 2.4%, Zinc Oxide 4.8%, Water, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Methylpropanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Sodium Lactate, Lactic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, PEG-40, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium EDTA, Alumina, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Simethicone
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Tapioca Starch
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientDecylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTrisodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Tapioca Starch, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Myristyl Myristate, Stearyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Dimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Decylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium EDTA
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides isn't fungal acne safe.
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.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
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 HydroxideTrisodium EDTA is one of those quietly essential helper ingredients that most people have never heard of. You'll most likely spot it near the end of ingredient lists in almost every category of skincare.
So what does it actually do?
Its main job is chelation; this is a fancy word to say it grabs onto metal ions and neutralizes them. This is because even purified water in cosmetics contains trace amounts of metals that can cause big problems in a formula.
These trace metals can break down actives faster, cause discoloration, promote rancidity in oils, and make preservatives less effective. Trisodium EDTA binds to these metals and takes them out of the equation so your products can stay stable and effective for longer.
There's also an added bonus: by neutralizing the metals ions that bacteria need to thrive, this ingredient also acts as a preservative booster.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetic formulations. It is not considered an irritant, sensitizer, and is barely absorbed through the skin.
Learn more about Trisodium EDTAWater. 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
