What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingDiisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientOryza Sativa Cera
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Triethanolamine
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Water, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Pentylene Glycol, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Alcohol Denat., Ethylhexyl Triazone, Zea Mays Starch, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Oryza Sativa Cera, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Tocopherol, Sodium Benzoate, Stearic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Triethanolamine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Palmitic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Myristic Acid, Ceramide NP, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Glyceryl Stearate
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDibutyl Adipate
EmollientEthylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Distarch Phosphate
AbsorbentPhenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Tapioca Starch
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCocoglycerides
Emollient
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Trisodium EDTA
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Alcohol Denat., Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Isopropyl Palmitate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dibutyl Adipate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Distarch Phosphate, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Tapioca Starch, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Cocoglycerides, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Trisodium EDTA, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Limonene, Geraniol, Citronellol, 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.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.This ingredient is better known as bemotrizinol or Tinosorb S and is one of the best broad-spectrum UV filters in modern sunscreen.
It works by absorbing UV light across a whole range (280-400 nm) with peaks around 310 nm (UVB) and 340-345 nm (UVA). This means it covers UVB plus the deeper UVA wavelengths that drive photoaging and pigmentation.
Another pro?
It's exceptionally photostable, barely degrades in sunlight, and acts as a "bodyguard" for less stable filters.
That's why you'll see it paired with avobenzone or octinoxate; this team up ensures they keep working through sun exposure.
Safety reviews have been reassuring across the board. This ingredient shows low absorption through the skin, rarely irritates, and lab studies found it doesn't act like a hormone in the body (a concern that's been raised about some older sunscreen filters).
On maximum concentrations:
In 2026, the US F.D.A finally added it as an OTC sunscreen ingredient at concentrations up to 6% for adults / children 6 months and older
Learn more about Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl TriazineAlso 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 MethoxydibenzoylmethaneEthylhexyl Triazone (aka Octyl Triazone) is an oil-soluble organic UVB filter. It has peak absorption around 314 nm, right in the middle of the UVB range.
This ingredient is described as one of the most effective UVB filters available and small concentrations are enough to deliver a high SPF thanks to its strong UV absorbing power.
Formulators love it for its stability; its ability to filter UV stays practically unchanged even under intense radiation and it can also help boost the photostability of less stable filters like avobenzone.
It's also a great pick for water resistant products because it's insoluble in water and has a good affinity for keratin.
Because it's a big, heavy molecule, the European Scientific Committee has found to to have very low dermal penetration and negative results for allergenicity.
In vitro testing also showed a low absorption rate and clean results on irritation.
Typical use levels are 1-5% with 5% being the maximum in the EU, Japan, and other markets that allow it. However, this ingredient is not approved yet in the US or Canada.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl TriazoneGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateIsopropyl Palmitate is a lightweight emollient made by combining isopropyl alcohol and palmitic acid.
It is an emollient that leaves skin feeling smooth and silky without leaving a greasy feel.
Typical usage concentrations range from 1-5%.
Human testing shows it's non-irritating and non-sensitizing, and the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has cleared it at very high levels (79% in leave-on products).
The one thing worth knowing about its comedogenic score of 3-4 is to keep it in perspective: these ratings come from old rabbit-ear tests using 100% of pure ingredient and doesn't reflect how it behaves at low levels in a finished product.
Because it is an ester of palmitic acid (C16), it falls into the range that the Malassezia yeast can feed on and is considered not fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Isopropyl PalmitateWater. 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
