What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOctocrylene
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Arginine
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Phenethyl Benzoate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Tris-Biphenyl Triazine
UV Absorber
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Polypodium Leucotomos Leaf Extract
Skin Protecting
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Physalis Angulata Extract
Skin ProtectingPlankton Extract
Skin ConditioningMelanin
Skin ProtectingOxothiazolidine
Skin ProtectingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Pullulan
Algin
Masking
C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPhenylpropanol
Masking
C20-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Vp/Acrylates/Lauryl Methacrylate Copolymer
Sodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2
AbsorbentAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Methicone
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Disodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingLecithin
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Butylene Glycol, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Arginine, Dimethicone, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Phenethyl Benzoate, Silica, Tris-Biphenyl Triazine, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Polypodium Leucotomos Leaf Extract, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Physalis Angulata Extract, Plankton Extract, Melanin, Oxothiazolidine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Trehalose, Urea, Serine, Pullulan, Algin, C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate, Phenylpropanol, C20-22 Alcohols, Vp/Acrylates/Lauryl Methacrylate Copolymer, Sodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Propylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Methicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Disodium Phosphate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Potassium Phosphate, Lecithin, BHT, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Linalool, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPolyacrylamide
PEG/PPG-20/6 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Polypodium Leucotomos Leaf Extract
Skin Protecting
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingCetyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Dichlorobenzyl Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Micrococcus Lysate
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Alumina
Abrasive
BHT
Antioxidant
Simethicone
Emollient
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Parfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Octocrylene, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Polyacrylamide, PEG/PPG-20/6 Dimethicone, Zinc Oxide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Polypodium Leucotomos Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Titanium Dioxide, Laureth-7, Cetyl Dimethicone, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dichlorobenzyl Alcohol, Micrococcus Lysate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Alumina, BHT, Simethicone, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Parfum, Linalool, Limonene
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTGlycerin (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 GlycerinLimonene 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 LinaloolOctocrylene 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 OctocryleneParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or '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 by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Polypodium Leucotomos Leaf Extract can help to reduce redness.
This ingredient is a synthetic polymer that mainly works as a film former. It creates a thin, flexible film on the surface of your skin. Once applied, it helps improves wear, durability, and resistance to water/smudging.
Due to its large molecule size, it sits on top of your skin rather than absorbing into it.
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
