What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.75%
UV Absorber
Benzophenone-3 4.25%
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 2.8%
UV Absorber
Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Benzoic Acid
Masking
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-2 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingTetrasodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Salicylate 4.75%, Benzophenone-3 4.25%, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Octocrylene 2.8%, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil, Allantoin, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Benzoic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycereth-2 Cocoate, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Water
Titanium Dioxide 4%
Cosmetic Colorant
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Iron Oxides
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingTitanium Dioxide 4%, Zinc Oxide, Water, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Dimethicone, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Propanediol, Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Allantoin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Iron Oxides, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil is oil from the Kukui nut and native to Hawaii.
Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil helps soften the skin as an emollient. It also provides antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil can also help soothe the skin.
This nut has been used by many cultures for curing illnesses, such as headache and fever.
Learn more about Aleurites Moluccanus Seed OilAllantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.
Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.
Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.
In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.
There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.
Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.
A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.
The quality of the extract matters a lot here:
Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.
Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).
Learn more about Camellia Sinensis Leaf ExtractDimethicone 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 DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilPhenoxyethanol 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.
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.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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 Water
