What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHomosalate
Skin Conditioning
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Tapioca Starch
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Carnitine
Cleansing
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingTrisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Homosalate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Octocrylene, Alcohol Denat., Tapioca Starch, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Cyclomethicone, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Methylpropanediol, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Glycerin, Carnitine, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Trisodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialOctocrylene
UV Absorber
Homosalate
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Tribehenin
Emollient
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Isohexadecane
EmollientEthylhexyl PCA
HumectantMea-Salicylate
Preservative
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Octocrylene, Homosalate, Silica, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Polyethylene, Tribehenin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Isohexadecane, Ethylhexyl PCA, Mea-Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Dimethicone, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Also known as Avobenzone, this ingredient is an oil-soluble used to absorb the full spectrum of UVA rays (peak 357 nm).
It's one of the most effective UVA filters available but has a major caveat of photostability: avobenzone is susceptible to photodegradation.
This means it can lose efficacy when exposed to sunlight without the help of a stabilizing agent.
Studies show antioxidants (like vitamin E or vitamin C) and some UV filters (like octocrylene and Tinosorb S) can meaningfully improve its stability in a formulation.
The maximum allowable concentration according to regulation is 3% in the US + Canada, and 5% in the EU, Australia, China, Korea, and ASEAN countries.
It has a well-support safety profile: a comprehensive 2025 review found minimal toxicity with no evidence of carcinogenicity.
Overall, avobenzone is a safe and regulated ingredient used in sunscreen for over 40 years.
Learn more about Butyl MethoxydibenzoylmethaneEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinHomosalate is an oil-soluble organic UVB filter that has been a sunscreen staple for decades. Its job is to absorb UVB rays (~295-315 nm) and protect your skin against sunburn,
This is one of the more photostable organic UV filters; it holds up pretty well under UV and a 2022 quantum-chemistry study found it stays stable in sunlight.
It's actually so reliable that formulators often pair it with shakier ingredients like oxybenzone and avobenzone. Formulators also use it to help dissolve the other UV filters into the oil phase.
One thing to keep in mind: "stable" isn't the same as "strong". On its own, homosalate is actually a pretty weak UV filter so it's better off as a helpful team player that helps boost overall SPF protection.
The safety picture is a bit nuanced but not scary.
This ingredient has a long track record of being gentle and regulators agree it isn't an irritant; EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety found that homosalate is not considered a skin irritant and doesn't raise eye-irritation flags either.
There's talk about homosalate because your skin absorbs a little bit of it into your bloodstream. A 2020 FDA-backed study found homosalate showed up in people's blood levels at the level where the FDA decides to double check.
The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) also found small amounts in blood and breast milk. They estimated that about 5% of what you apply gets absorbed through the skin.
Due to the debate about whether it might mess with hormones, the SCCS recommended a maximum limit of 0.5% in most products of 7.3% in face creams/pump sprays.
One important thing to keep in mind: in the US, Homosalate is currently labeled "non-GRASE" by the FDA. This sounds alarming but really just means the FDA wants more data to confirm it's safe. It's not confidently saying this ingredient is harmful.
As of now, homosalate is still completely legal and widely used while that research gets done.
The current maximum limits are:
Learn more about HomosalateOctocrylene is an oil-soluble organic UV filter that mainly absorbs UVB and short wave UVA II light.
Its real superpower is teamwork: octocrylene is remarkably photostable and is most famous for stabilizing avobenzone (the workhorse UVA filter).
This ingredient is commonly used to enhance both UVB and UVA protection due to its unique property in stabilizing avobenzone. It also pulls double duty by boosting water resistance and giving formulas a smooth, spreadable feel.
The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has deemed octocrylene to be safe as a UV-filter at concentrations up to 10% (capped at 9% in propellant sprays). The US also permits it up to 10%.
Two things worth knowing:
You'll usually see this ingredient used in concentrations between 2-10% (higher amounts when used as a stabilizer for avobenzone).
Learn more about OctocrylenePhenoxyethanol 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.
