What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Tribehenin
Emollient
Polyurethane-62
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Hexyl Laurate
Emollient
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAluminum Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantPanthenyl Triacetate
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethyl Linoleate
Emollient
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Alumina
Abrasive
Olea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Sorbitol/Sebacic Acid Copolymer Behenate
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Oleyl Alcohol
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Polyquaternium-7
Iron Oxides
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopherol, Sorbitan Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Tribehenin, Polyurethane-62, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Hexyl Laurate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Aluminum Stearate, Panthenyl Triacetate, Propylene Glycol, Ethyl Linoleate, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Alumina, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Sorbitol/Sebacic Acid Copolymer Behenate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Trideceth-6, Phenoxyethanol, Oleyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Isostearic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Polyquaternium-7, Iron Oxides
Zinc Oxide 10%
Cosmetic Colorant
Titanium Dioxide 5.5%
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Alumina
Abrasive
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Methicone
Emollient
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingTriethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Hexyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Propylene Carbonate
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantZinc Oxide 10%, Titanium Dioxide 5.5%, Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Caprylyl Methicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Dimethicone, Alumina, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Methicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Hexyl Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Propylene Carbonate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alumina is another name for the compound aluminum oxide. It is a white powder used as a thickener, absorbent, and abrasive.
As an absorbent, alumina can give a mattifying effect. It is used in mineral sunscreens to help coat nano-sized filters, such as titanium dioxide. By increasing the size of the UV filters, these ingredients stay on the skin for a longer time. By coating small sized ingredients, alumina helps thicken a product.
Alumina may be used as an abrasive, or exfoliant.
Alumina is naturally occurring in the mineral corundum. Certain varieties of corundum create rubies and sapphires. Corundum is also the crystalline form of alumina.
Learn more about AluminaC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is made up of Benzoic Acid and long chain alcohols. It has a low molecular weight.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is an emollient and texture enhancer. Due to its solubility, it is often used in sunscreens to help evenly distribute active ingredients.
As an emollient, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate helps soften and hydrate your skin. Emollients create a film on your skin that traps moisture within.
This ingredient has been reported to cause eye irritation.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Polyhydroxystearic Acid is a vegetable-derived soft wax made from castor oil. It's an emulsion stabilizer, thickener, and film former.
You'll likely see it in sunscreens because it helps disperse pigments and UV-reflecting minerals like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide evenly.
Depending on the concentration, it can drastically change the texture of a product from pasty solid (like lipstick) to sprayable liquid.
The CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics. The highest reported use concentration is 14.2% in lipsticks.
Learn more about Polyhydroxystearic AcidTocopherol 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
