What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Alcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialIsobutane
Dicaprylyl Ether
EmollientPropylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientOctocrylene
UV AbsorberDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberDiethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV AbsorberWater
Skin ConditioningBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/Octylacrylamide Copolymer
Butane
Propane
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantBenzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol
UV AbsorberTocopherol
AntioxidantCitral
PerfumingAlcohol Denat., Isobutane, Dicaprylyl Ether, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Octocrylene, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Water, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Acrylates/Octylacrylamide Copolymer, Butane, Propane, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Parfum, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol, Tocopherol, Citral
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientHomosalate
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientOctocrylene
UV AbsorberEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberGlycerin
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberPropanediol
SolventDiisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningPhenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV AbsorberTocopherol
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTriethanolamine
BufferingPoly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate
Emulsion StabilisingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingTerephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV AbsorberTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Citronellol
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCoumarin
PerfumingParfum
MaskingWater, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Homosalate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Ethylhexyl Triazone, Propanediol, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Triethanolamine, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citronellol, Citral, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Coumarin, 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.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying - mostly due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue, constricting pores and leaving your skin dried out.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is if this alcohol is near the end of an ingredients list, it will probably not affect your skin much.
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.You might know this ingredient as Tinosorb S or Bemotrizinol. It is a UV filter that covers both UVA and UVB rays.
This ingredient has two peak UV absorption peaks ( 310 and 340 nm) and is able to absorb both UV-A and UV-B rays. This ingredient works by preventing UV rays from reaching and damaging your skin.
On top of that - it is highly photostable and helps prevent the photodegration of other sunscreen ingredients such as avobenzone.
Tinosorb S is allowed in the EU, Australia, and Asia. It is close to being approved by the FDA and we'll hopefully get this ingredient in the U.S. by late 2025.
Fun fact: Tinosorb S is the most effective UV absorber at maximum concentration (measured by SPF) permitted in the EU.
This ingredient is oil-soluble, so your oil-cleansers will take this right off at night.
Learn more about Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl TriazineAlso known as Avobenzone, this ingredient is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-A range.
Avobenzone is globally approved and is the most commonly used UV-A filter in the world.
Studies have found that avobenzone becomes ineffective when exposed to UV light (it is not photostable; meaning that it breaks down in sunlight). Because of this, formulations that include avobenzone will usually contain stabilizers such as octocrylene.
However, some modern formulations (looking at you, EU!) are able to stabilize avobenzone by coating the molecules.
Avobenzone does not protect against the UV-B range, so it's important to check that the sunscreen you're using contains other UV filters that do!
The highest concentration of avobenzone permitted is 3% in the US, and 5% in the EU.
Learn more about Butyl MethoxydibenzoylmethaneCitral is a fragrance and used to add a lemon-like scent to products. It is both naturally found in plants and created synthetically. In plants, it is commonly occurring in lemon myrtle, lemongrass, lemon tea-tree, lemon verbena, and other citruses.
The EU mandates Citral be listed separately as a fragrance. It is a known allergen and may cause contact dermatitis. Citral can also used as a masking ingredient.
The term '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.
The term 'citral' is a collective term for two geometric isomers: geranial/Citral A and neral/Citral B.
Learn more about CitralDicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.
As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Carbonate creates a film on the skin. This film traps moisture in, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
Dicaprylyl Ether is created from caprylic acid. It is a texture-enhancer and emollient.
As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Ether is non-comedogenic. It helps soften and smooth the skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier helps trap moisture in, helping to hydrate the skin.
Dicaprylyl Ether gives a non-greasy feel and better spreadability to products.
Learn more about Dicaprylyl EtherEthylhexyl Salicylate is an organic compound used to block UV rays. It primarily absorbs UVB rays but offers a small amount of UVA protection as well.
Commonly found in sunscreens, Ethylhexyl Salicylate is created from salicylic acid and 2-ethylhexanol. You might know salicylic acid as the effective acne fighter ingredient and BHA.
The ethylhexanol in this ingredient is a fatty alcohol and helps hydrate your skin, similar to oils. It is an emollient, which means it traps moisture into the skin.
According to manufacturers, Ethylhexyl Salicylate absorbs UV wavelength of 295-315 nm, with a peak absorption at 307-310 nm. UVA rays are linked to long term skin damage, such as hyperpigmentation. UVB rays emit more energy and are capable of damaging our DNA. UVB rays cause sunburn.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl SalicylateEthylhexyl Triazone is a modern chemical sunscreen that protects from UV-B radiation.
It is the most effective of existing UV-B filters, as it provides the highest level of photo-stable absorption. It protects from the entire UV-B range (280 to 320nm), with it's highest level of protection at 314nm.
Ethylhexyl Triazone is oil soluble, oderless and colorless, which mean it is able to be incorporated into a variety of different formulations.
It is not currently available within the United States due to slow changing FDA regulations. Outside of the US, it is used in formulations at concentrations up to 5%.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl TriazoneOctocrylene 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 OctocryleneParfum 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 ParfumTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water