What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zinc Oxide 11%
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningDiethylhexyl Carbonate
EmollientDibutyl Adipate
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Nylon-12
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-8
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Plankton Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Zinc Oxide 11%, Water, Diethylhexyl Carbonate, Dibutyl Adipate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Alcohol Denat., Cyclohexasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Nylon-12, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glyceryl Stearate, Parfum, Bisabolol, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, PEG-8, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Plankton Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 10%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 8%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyester-27
Silica
Abrasive
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Isododecane
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 10%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%, Octocrylene 8%, Water, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Glycerin, Polyester-27, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Isododecane, Arachidyl Alcohol, Beeswax, Ethylhexylglycerin, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Potassium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlyceryl 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 StearateParfum 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.
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
