What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV AbsorberHomosalate 9%
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%
UV AbsorberWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCarthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialNiacinamide
SmoothingZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCitrullus Lanatus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningAdansonia Digitata Pulp Extract
EmollientBarosma Betulina Leaf Extract
PerfumingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientEthylhexyl Methoxycrylene
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 9%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%, Water, Glycerin, Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Niacinamide, Zea Mays Starch, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Extract, Adansonia Digitata Pulp Extract, Barosma Betulina Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tocopheryl Acetate, Gluconolactone, Sorbitan Oleate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Polysorbate 80, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, CI 17200
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberCarthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingDimethyl Capramide
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantCananga Odorata Flower Oil
MaskingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
PerfumingLavandula Hybrida Oil
EmollientLavandula Spica Flower Oil
MaskingLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmaria Palmata Extract
Skin ProtectingOligopeptide-34
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantLactobacillus/Pumpkin Fruit Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingZinc Glycinate
BufferingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientBehenyl Behenate
EmollientGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeLinalool
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingWater, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Polysorbate 80, Dimethyl Capramide, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Lavandula Spica Flower Oil, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Oligopeptide-34, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Fruit Ferment Filtrate, Niacinamide, Zinc Glycinate, Polysorbate 60, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Behenyl Behenate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Linalool, Limonene
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 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 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 BenzoateCarthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes isn't fungal acne safe.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinIsohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.
Due to its large size, Isohexadecane is not absorbed by the skin. Instead, it sits on top and acts as an emollient. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by trapping moisture within.
Isohexadecane is often used in products designed to help oily skin. It is lightweight and non-greasy while helping to moisturize. When mixed with silicones, it gives a product a silky feel.
Learn more about IsohexadecaneLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol 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.
Polysorbate 80 is a synthetic surfactant and emulsifier derived from sorbitol and oleic acid.
It reduces the surface tension between oil and water phases to help them stay mixed and stable in a formulation. In other words, it prevents your formulas from separating into an oily mess.
The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the scientific data and found this ingredient to be safe, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing at concentrations up to 5% (it's even approved by the FDA as an OTC eye drop ingredient).
Learn more about Polysorbate 80Sodium 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 HydroxideWater. 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