What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 9%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 6.5%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMangifera Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPassiflora Incarnata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPlumeria Acutifolia Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPsidium Guajava Fruit Extract
AstringentTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 9%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%, Octocrylene 6.5%, Water, Silica, Propylene Glycol, Cetyl Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, Sodium Polyacrylate, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Chlorphenesin, Glycerin, Disodium EDTA, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract, Passiflora Incarnata Fruit Extract, Plumeria Acutifolia Flower Extract, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Titanium Dioxide
Water
Skin ConditioningOctocrylene
UV Absorber
Homosalate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Ethyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Astaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract
Antioxidant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Cocoglycerides
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientDiisopropyl Adipate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Methylheptylglycerin
HumectantSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningPhosphatidylserine
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Octocrylene, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Bisabolol, Ethyl Ferulate, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Astaxanthin, Phytosphingosine, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Beta-Glucan, Cocoglycerides, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Diisopropyl Adipate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Oleic Acid, Stearic Acid, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Propanediol, Lactic Acid, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Gluconate, Citric Acid, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Methylheptylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phospholipids, Glycolipids, Phosphatidylserine
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceAlso known as Avobenzone, this ingredient is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-A range.
Avobenzone is globally approved and is the most commonly used UV-A filter in the world.
Studies have found that avobenzone becomes ineffective when exposed to UV light (it is not photostable; meaning that it breaks down in sunlight). Because of this, formulations that include avobenzone will usually contain stabilizers such as octocrylene.
However, some modern formulations (looking at you, EU!) are able to stabilize avobenzone by coating the molecules.
Avobenzone does not protect against the UV-B range, so it's important to check that the sunscreen you're using contains other UV filters that do!
The highest concentration of avobenzone permitted is 3% in the US, and 5% in the EU.
Learn more about Butyl MethoxydibenzoylmethaneCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolEthylhexyl Salicylate is an organic compound used to block UV rays. It primarily absorbs UVB rays but offers a small amount of UVA protection as well.
Commonly found in sunscreens, Ethylhexyl Salicylate is created from salicylic acid and 2-ethylhexanol. You might know salicylic acid as the effective acne fighter ingredient and BHA.
The ethylhexanol in this ingredient is a fatty alcohol and helps hydrate your skin, similar to oils. It is an emollient, which means it traps moisture into the skin.
According to manufacturers, Ethylhexyl Salicylate absorbs UV wavelength of 295-315 nm, with a peak absorption at 307-310 nm. UVA rays are linked to long term skin damage, such as hyperpigmentation. UVB rays emit more energy and are capable of damaging our DNA. UVB rays cause sunburn.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl SalicylateGlycerin (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 GlycerinHomosalate is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-B range (280nm - 320 nm), with a peak protection at 306 nm. It is internationally approved for use in sunscreens.
Homosalate is not photo-stable, meaning it's strength as a UV filter degrades over time with exposure to the sun. Because of this, it's often used in combination with other chemical sunscreen filters as avobenzone (which protects from the UV-A range). Homosalate also helps act as a solvent for harder-to-dissolve UV filters.
(Part of the reason that sunscreens need to be frequently re-applied is due to the photo instability of many chemical sunscreen filters)
Currently, homosalate is approved in concentrations up to 10% in the EU and 15% in the US. The FDA is currently doing further research on the effects of homosalate, and it is possible that these approved concentrations will change in the future.
Learn more about HomosalateOctocrylene protects skin from sun damage. It absorbs UV-B with peak absorption of 304 nm. It is a common sunscreen ingredient and often paired with avobenzone, a UVA filter. This is because octocrylene stabilizes other sunscreen ingredients by protecting them from degradation when exposed to sunlight. Octocrylene is a photostable ingredient and loses about 10% of SPF in 95 minutes.
Octocrylene also acts as an emollient, meaning it helps skin retain moisture and softens skin. It is oil-soluble and hydrophobic, enhancing water-resistant properties in a product.
Those who are using ketoprofen, a topical anti-inflammatory drug, may experience an allergic reaction when using octocrylene. It is best to speak with a healthcare professional about using sunscreens with octocrylene.
The EU allows a maximum of these concentrations:
Learn more about OctocryleneSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
