Hourglass Cosmetics Illusion Luminous Glow Foundation SPF 30 Versus Merit Beauty The Uniform Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 45
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 7.34%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Tribehenin
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
Emulsifying
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Silica
Abrasive
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientSodium Chloride
MaskingSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Lauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Dibehenate
Emollient
Aluminum Dimyristate
Emulsion StabilisingTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingGlyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantMethyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingIron Oxides
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 7.34%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Water, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Coconut Alkanes, Dimethicone, Tribehenin, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Silica, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Sodium Chloride, Sorbitan Oleate, Lauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate, Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Caprylyl Glycol, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Aluminum Dimyristate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Citric Acid, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Glyceryl Behenate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Methyl Salicylate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Hexylene Glycol, Iron Oxides, CI 77891
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
C13-15 Alkane
SolventIsoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
Emulsifying
C15-19 Alkane
SolventCoco-Caprylate
Emollient
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Magnesium Sulfate
Diglycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Quaternium-90 Bentonite
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingLauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Cellulose
Absorbent
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyglycerin-3
Humectant
Polyglycerin-4
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantZinc Oxide, Water, Propanediol, C13-15 Alkane, Isoamyl Laurate, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Zea Mays Starch, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, C15-19 Alkane, Coco-Caprylate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Magnesium Sulfate, Diglycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Quaternium-90 Bentonite, Hydroxyacetophenone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Lauroyl Lysine, Triethyl Citrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Cellulose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglycerin-3, Polyglycerin-4, Glycerin, Tocopherol, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butyloctyl Salicylate is a chemical UV filter structurally similar to octisalate. It is a photostabilizer, SPF booster, emollient and solvent. This ingredient helps evenly spread out ingredients.
According to a manufacturer, it is suitable for pairing with micro Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, and pigments.
Photostabilizers help stabilize UV-filters and prevents them from degrading quickly.
Learn more about Butyloctyl SalicylateCaprylyl 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 GlycolCi 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 77891Disteardimonium Hectorite comes from the clay mineral named hectorite. It is used to add thickness to a product.
It can also help stabilize a product by helping to disperse other ingredients.
Hectorite is a rare, white clay mineral.
Learn more about Disteardimonium HectoriteEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is a water-in-oil emulsifier and is sometimes known by its trade name, Isolan GPS. It helps create stable emulsions by bridging oil and water phases without adding a greasy feel.
Common usage levels sit between 2-5% for this ingredient.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
