What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 7%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 7%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
C15-19 Alkane
SolventPropanediol
Solvent
C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer
StabilisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 7%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 7%, Water, Glycerin, C15-19 Alkane, Propanediol, C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer, Tocopherol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sclerotium Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Glyceryl Stearate, Jojoba Esters, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Carbomer, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 20, Polyglycerin-3, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Drometrizole Trisiloxane
UV Absorber
Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Triethanolamine
BufferingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingNylon-12
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cellulose
Absorbent
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Citric Acid
Buffering
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate
Cleansing
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Tromethamine
BufferingScutellaria Baicalensis Extract
AntimicrobialScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Arginine
Masking
Mannitol
Humectant
Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate
Skin ConditioningRna
Skin ConditioningPyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Sorbitol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
BHT
Antioxidant
Histidine Hcl
Skin ConditioningZea Mays Kernel Extract
Sodium Chloride
MaskingYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenylalanine
Masking
Mentha Piperita Extract
CleansingRosa Gallica Flower Extract
AstringentTyrosine
MaskingSorbic Acid
Preservative
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Alcohol Denat., Triethanolamine, Stearic Acid, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Nylon-12, Palmitic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cellulose, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Citric Acid, Aluminum Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate, Carbomer, Tocopherol, Tromethamine, Scutellaria Baicalensis Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Xanthan Gum, Myristic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Adenosine, Polysorbate 80, Arginine, Mannitol, Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate, Rna, Pyridoxine Hcl, Sorbitan Oleate, Sorbitol, Pentylene Glycol, BHT, Histidine Hcl, Zea Mays Kernel Extract, Sodium Chloride, Yeast Extract, Phenylalanine, Mentha Piperita Extract, Rosa Gallica Flower Extract, Tyrosine, Sorbic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl 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 StearateTocopherol 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
