What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberOctocrylene
UV AbsorberStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Cyclopentasiloxane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPolyacrylamide
PEG/PPG-20/6 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingZinc Oxide
Cosmetic ColorantC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientPolypodium Leucotomos Leaf Extract
Skin ProtectingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantLaureth-7
EmulsifyingCetyl Dimethicone
EmollientCamellia Sinensis Extract
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDichlorobenzyl Alcohol
AntimicrobialMicrococcus Lysate
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Alumina
AbrasiveBHT
AntioxidantSimethicone
EmollientTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Parfum
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingWater, 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
Water
Skin ConditioningHomosalate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberGlycerin
HumectantBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningOctocrylene
UV AbsorberIsohexadecane
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialPropanediol
SolventDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Silica
AbrasivePerlite
AbsorbentDimethicone
EmollientCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantP-Anisic Acid
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantLecithin
EmollientAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantSodium Dodecylbenzenesulfonate
CleansingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeThermus Thermophillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningPEG-8 Laurate
EmulsifyingOxidized Starch Acetate
Skin ConditioningTriethanolamine
BufferingDrometrizole Trisiloxane
UV AbsorberAcrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Potassium Sorbate
PreservativeGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientWater, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Glycerin, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Octocrylene, Isohexadecane, Alcohol Denat., Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Propylene Glycol, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Silica, Perlite, Dimethicone, CI 42090, P-Anisic Acid, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Sodium Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Thermus Thermophillus Ferment, PEG-8 Laurate, Oxidized Starch Acetate, Triethanolamine, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Glyceryl Oleate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinOctocrylene 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 OctocrylenePhenoxyethanol 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.
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.
Water. 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