What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPEG-6 Stearate
Emulsifying
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
PEG-32 Stearate
Emulsifying
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyisobutene
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Water, PEG-6 Stearate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Glyceryl Stearate, Octocrylene, Glycol Stearate, PEG-32 Stearate, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetyl Palmitate, Xanthan Gum, Polyisobutene, Decyl Glucoside, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Sorbitan Isostearate, Propylene Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningC15-19 Alkane
SolventBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Squalane
Emollient
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Disodium Cetearyl Sulfosuccinate
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Pantolactone
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Squalene
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingLauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, C15-19 Alkane, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Dicaprylyl Ether, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Squalane, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Disodium Cetearyl Sulfosuccinate, Glyceryl Stearate, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Allantoin, Pantolactone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Squalene, Glycine Soja Oil, Beta-Sitosterol, Xanthan Gum, Aminomethyl Propanol, Lauroyl Lysine, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl 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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolEthylhexyl Salicylate (also called Octisalate or Octyl Salicylate) is an oil-soluble organic UV filter that's been used in sunscreen since the 1950's.
It absorbs UVB light in the 280-320 nm range with a peak absorbance around 306 nm.
You'll often see it paired with other UV filters to boost overall SPF because octisalate is a fairly week filter on its own.
The reason you'll see it so often is because it can help solubilize and stabilize the trickier filters like oxybenzone and avobenzone.
Unlike these filters, octisalate has pretty good photostability and doesn't create skin-damaging free radicals when exposed to sunlight.
The fatty-alcohol part of the molecule also gives it a light, emollient feel so it doubles as a nice texture enhancer.
Usage levels vary around the world:
Safety-wise, this ingredient has a pretty reassuring track record. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) found very low skin penetration in human skin tests and negative results for irritation, phototoxicity, and photoallergy.
The real-world allergy risk is pretty low too; a 2012 European study of 1,031 people recorded only 2 reactions to it (a rate of 0.19%).
You might have seen scary headlines about sunscreen getting into your blood.
In 2019, the FDA found that several chemical filters can absorb through the skin and show up in the bloodstream at small but measurable levels.
Here's the important part: these tiny levels are just a cutoff the FDA uses to decide which ingredients need more testing and doesn't mean anything harmful was found.
The researchers were clear that the results are no reason to stop wearing sunscreen.
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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePhenoxyethanol 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.
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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
