What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV Absorber
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/Octylacrylamide Copolymer
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientHydroxypropylcellulose
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Silica
Abrasive
Alcohol Denat., Dibutyl Adipate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Water, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Acrylates/Octylacrylamide Copolymer, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Hydroxypropylcellulose, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Silica
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDistarch Phosphate
AbsorbentEthylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV Absorber
Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingC18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate
EmollientCetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Trisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Distarch Phosphate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Dibutyl Adipate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Myristyl Myristate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Glycerin, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, C18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol
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.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
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 this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
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.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Also known as Avobenzone, this ingredient is an oil-soluble used to absorb the full spectrum of UVA rays (peak 357 nm).
It's one of the most effective UVA filters available but has a major caveat of photostability: avobenzone is susceptible to photodegradation.
This means it can lose efficacy when exposed to sunlight without the help of a stabilizing agent.
Studies show antioxidants (like vitamin E or vitamin C) and some UV filters (like octocrylene and Tinosorb S) can meaningfully improve its stability in a formulation.
The maximum allowable concentration according to regulation is 3% in the US + Canada, and 5% in the EU, Australia, China, Korea, and ASEAN countries.
It has a well-support safety profile: a comprehensive 2025 review found minimal toxicity with no evidence of carcinogenicity.
Overall, avobenzone is a safe and regulated ingredient used in sunscreen for over 40 years.
Learn more about Butyl MethoxydibenzoylmethaneDibutyl Adipate is a lightweight, oil-soluble ester that acts as an emollient and solvent. It helps products spread more easily and leaves a soft, silky, dry-touch finish without being greasy.
You'll likely see this ingredient in sunscreens because it does a nice job dissolving UV filters and keeping them evenly distributed.
This ingredient has been found to be safe as used in cosmetics, wasn't a skin or eye irritant in clinical patch testing, and wasn't phototoxic.
In a clinical comedogenicity test, this ingredient tested negative so it isn't likely to clog pores.
Typical use levels are about 5-8% for sunscreens + nail products, but can range from 0.005%-8% depending on the product.
Learn more about Dibutyl AdipateDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (DHHB) is a chemical UV-A absorber. It is formulated for high UVA protection (320-400 nm).
DHHB is well-liked for:
DHHB has been approved by the EU, Japan, Taiwan, and South America for use up to 10%. Unfortunately, it has not been approved for use in the US or Canada due to slow regulatory processes.
This ingredient is soluble in oils, fats, and lipids.
Learn more about Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl BenzoateDiethylhexyl Butamido Triazone (aka Iscotrizinol) is an oil-soluble organic UV filter that mainly absorbs UVB and a bit of UVA II light.
This ingredient is great at preventing sunburn but doesn't cover the deep UVA I range. This is why it's often paired with a UVA filter like Avobenzone or Bemotrizinol.
Two of its biggest selling points are efficiency and stability:
Most of the other chemical filters are considered "photostable" if they can last for two hours.
Because this ingredient is oil-loving, it can sit neatly into the oil phase of emulsions and shines in water-repellent/water-resistant formulations.
The EU and Canada allow it to be used up to 10% and Japan allows it up to 5%.
Unfortunately, it's not yet an FDA approved sunscreen agent so you won't be able to find it in sunscreens in the US.
Safety-wise, it has a pretty solid record: the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has reviewed it and found low skin absorption, no capacity to produce skin irritation or photo-irritation.
In vitro testing has found less than 0.1% of the applied dose is absorbed by the skin over 24 hours (mostly due to its large molecule size).
Fun fact: This ingredient even has anti-inflammatory properties similar to those of ketoprofe, an anti-inflammatory medication.
Learn more about Diethylhexyl Butamido TriazoneEthylhexyl Triazone (aka Octyl Triazone) is an oil-soluble organic UVB filter. It has peak absorption around 314 nm, right in the middle of the UVB range.
This ingredient is described as one of the most effective UVB filters available and small concentrations are enough to deliver a high SPF thanks to its strong UV absorbing power.
Formulators love it for its stability; its ability to filter UV stays practically unchanged even under intense radiation and it can also help boost the photostability of less stable filters like avobenzone.
It's also a great pick for water resistant products because it's insoluble in water and has a good affinity for keratin.
Because it's a big, heavy molecule, the European Scientific Committee has found to to have very low dermal penetration and negative results for allergenicity.
In vitro testing also showed a low absorption rate and clean results on irritation.
Typical use levels are 1-5% with 5% being the maximum in the EU, Japan, and other markets that allow it. However, this ingredient is not approved yet in the US or Canada.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl TriazoneThis silica is mainly used to thicken oils and suspend particles in oils. It is not water soluble.
According to the manufacturer, it:
The manufacturer also claims this ingredient to be useful in makeup.
In lipstick formulations, this ingredient improves color payoff, reduces pigment settling, and reduces oil bleeding. This ingredient also improves the grip of powder products such as dry shampoos.
Learn more about Silica Dimethyl SilylateWater. 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
