Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF 50+ Versus Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Natural Sun Cream SPF 50+
This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
This mineral sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantDrometrizole Trisiloxane
UV AbsorberTerephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV AbsorberPropylene Glycol
HumectantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialTriethanolamine
BufferingStearic Acid
CleansingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingNylon-12
Palmitic Acid
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCellulose
AbsorbentBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV FilterCitric Acid
BufferingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate
CleansingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
AntioxidantTromethamine
BufferingScutellaria Baicalensis Extract
AntimicrobialScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMyristic Acid
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Adenosine
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingArginine
MaskingMannitol
HumectantDisodium Adenosine Triphosphate
Skin ConditioningRna
Skin ConditioningPyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingSorbitol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningBHT
AntioxidantHistidine Hcl
Skin ConditioningZea Mays Kernel Extract
Sodium Chloride
MaskingYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenylalanine
MaskingMentha Piperita Extract
CleansingRosa Gallica Flower Extract
AstringentTyrosine
MaskingSorbic Acid
PreservativeWater, 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
Water
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide
Cosmetic ColorantButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin ConditioningPropylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantIsododecane
EmollientC15-19 Alkane
SolventDisiloxane
Skin ConditioningCetyl Diglyceryl Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingTriethylhexanoin
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningLauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin ConditioningLauryl Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantSodium Citrate
BufferingBetaine
HumectantInositol
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningWater, Zinc Oxide, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Butylene Glycol, Isododecane, C15-19 Alkane, Disiloxane, Cetyl Diglyceryl Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone, Caprylyl Methicone, Sodium Chloride, Triethylhexanoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Lauryl Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Dipropylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Sodium Citrate, Betaine, Inositol, Panthenol
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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideTocopherol 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