What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 5%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Triazone 5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 3%
UV Absorber
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine 1%
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Water
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Triethanolamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 5%, Ethylhexyl Triazone 5%, Octocrylene 3%, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine 1%, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dibutyl Adipate, Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyacetophenone, CI 77499, CI 77491, CI 77492, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Water, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Stearic Acid, Titanium Dioxide, Triethanolamine, Xanthan Gum
4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor 4%
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 4%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 4%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Triazone 3%
UV Absorber
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-15 Cocamine
EmulsifyingPEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Water
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
Triethanolamine
BufferingCera Alba
Emollient
4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor 4%, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 4%, Octocrylene 4%, Ethylhexyl Triazone 3%, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Carbomer, Citric Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, PEG-15 Cocamine, PEG-40 Stearate, Water, Silica, Triethanolamine, Cera Alba
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 MethoxydibenzoylmethaneC12-15 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 BenzoateEthylhexyl Triazone is a modern chemical sunscreen that protects from UV-B radiation.
It is the most effective of existing UV-B filters, as it provides the highest level of photo-stable absorption. It protects from the entire UV-B range (280 to 320nm), with it's highest level of protection at 314nm.
Ethylhexyl Triazone is oil soluble, oderless and colorless, which mean it is able to be incorporated into a variety of different formulations.
It is not currently available within the United States due to slow changing FDA regulations. Outside of the US, it is used in formulations at concentrations up to 5%.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl TriazoneOctocrylene 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 OctocryleneSilica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaTocopheryl 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 AcetateTriethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
If you are looking for the tea leaf ingredient, click here.
Learn more about TriethanolamineWater. 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
