What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientDibutyl Adipate
EmollientEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberPhenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV AbsorberPropanediol
SolventArginine
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCalcium Sodium Borosilicate
Hydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHydrated Silica
AbrasiveTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantPorphyridium Cruentum Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantLysine
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Chloride
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Dimethicone, Dibutyl Adipate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, CI 77891, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Propanediol, Arginine, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Oleate, Glycerin, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, CI 77492, Parfum, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrated Silica, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polysorbate 60, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Aluminum Hydroxide, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, CI 77491, Porphyridium Cruentum Extract, Xanthan Gum, CI 77499, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Lysine, Magnesium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberButylene Glycol
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantPolymethyl Methacrylate
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberDimethicone
EmollientBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberSilica
AbrasivePolyester-7
Skin ConditioningCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantGlycerin
HumectantNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSchisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantArtemisia Umbelliformis Extract
Skin ConditioningBuddleja Davidii Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPeucedanum Ostruthium Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPinus Pinaster Bark/Bud Extract
AntimicrobialMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-8
HumectantAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientSodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantDiglycerin
HumectantLysine
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Chloride
Tocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantBHT
AntioxidantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
MaskingWater, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Dimethicone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Silica, Polyester-7, CI 77891, Glycerin, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Allantoin, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Artemisia Umbelliformis Extract, Buddleja Davidii Leaf Extract, Peucedanum Ostruthium Leaf Extract, Pinus Pinaster Bark/Bud Extract, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cellulose Gum, PEG-8, Aluminum Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Diglycerin, Lysine, Magnesium Chloride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, BHT, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aluminum Hydroxide is a form of aluminum. It can be naturally found in nature as the mineral gibbsite. In cosmetics, Aluminum Hydroxide is used as a colorant, pH adjuster, and absorbent.
As a colorant, Aluminum Hydroxide may add opacity, or reduce the transparency. Aluminum hydroxide is contains both basic and acidic properties.
According to manufacturers, this ingredient is an emollient and humectant. This means it helps hydrate the skin.
In medicine, this ingredient is used to help relieve heartburn and help heal ulcers.
There is currently no credible scientific evidence linking aluminum hydroxide in cosmetics to increased cancer risk.
Major health organizations allow the use of aluminum hydroxide in personal care products and have not flagged it as a carcinogenic risk at typical usage levels.
Learn more about Aluminum HydroxideThis ingredient is better known as bemotrizinol or Tinosorb S and is one of the best broad-spectrum UV filters in modern sunscreen.
It works by absorbing UV light across a whole range (280-400 nm) with peaks around 310 nm (UVB) and 340-345 nm (UVA). This means it covers UVB plus the deeper UVA wavelengths that drive photoaging and pigmentation.
Another pro?
It's exceptionally photostable, barely degrades in sunlight, and acts as a "bodyguard" for less stable filters.
That's why you'll see it paired with avobenzone or octinoxate; this team up ensures they keep working through sun exposure.
Safety reviews have been reassuring across the board. This ingredient shows low absorption through the skin, rarely irritates, and lab studies found it doesn't act like a hormone in the body (a concern that's been raised about some older sunscreen filters).
On maximum concentrations:
In 2026, the US F.D.A finally added it as an OTC sunscreen ingredient at concentrations up to 6% for adults / children 6 months and older
Learn more about Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl TriazineAlso 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 MethoxydibenzoylmethaneCi 77491 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a red/pink hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created Ci 77491 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77491CI 77492 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a yellow hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created CI 77492 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77492Ci 77499 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It is created from mixing red and black iron oxides. This helps give shades of darkness to a product.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 77891Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeEthylhexyl 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 SalicylateEthylhexyl 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 TriazoneGlycerin (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 GlycerinLysine is an essential amino acid (your body cannot make it on its own). It has skin conditioning properties and one of the key players in collagen synthesis.
When your body creates collagen, lysine is basically the glue that holds everything together. It helps collagen fibers lock into each other and stay strong, with vitamin C being its trusty sidekick. Without enough lysine, this glue gets flimsy and less firm, resulting in less bouncy skin.
In skincare, lysine is mostly there to help keep your skin moisturized. It carries water through your skin's layers so everything stays plump.
So will putting lysine on your face create bouncier skin?
It's hard to say; most of the exciting collagen research on lysine comes from oral supplements or lab studies on mice. Further research is needed to truly understand what role topical lysine plays in skincare and your skin.
However, there's no harm in adding lysine to your routine as a supportive and hydrating ingredient.
Learn more about LysineMagnesium chloride is a mineral salt made from magnesium and chloride. It is mainly used to control product stability and texture in cosmetics.
This ingredient can also play a role in soothing the skin and supporting normal skin function.
Magnesium chloride is water-soluble, generally well tolerated, and does not act as a strong “active” ingredient on its own.
Learn more about Magnesium ChlorideParfum 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 ParfumSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideSodium Lauroyl Glutamate is the sodium salt from the lauric acid of glutamic acid.
It is a surfactant and helps cleanse the skin. Surfactants gather oil, dirt, and other pollutants from your skin so they may be washed away easily.
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 Water