La Roche-Posay Anthelios Anti-Shine Invisible Fresh Mist Spray SPF 50 Versus Ultrasun UV Face & Scalp Mist SPF50
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butane
Water
Skin ConditioningHomosalate
Skin Conditioning
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientNylon-12
Diisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Drometrizole Trisiloxane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
PEG-32
HumectantPEG-8 Laurate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Butane, Water, Homosalate, Octocrylene, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Nylon-12, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, P-Anisic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Carnosine, Cyclohexasiloxane, Disodium EDTA, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-32, PEG-8 Laurate, Phenoxyethanol, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Parfum
Butane
Water
Skin ConditioningIsobutane
Diethylhexyl Adipate
EmollientDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Undecane
EmollientPolyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV Absorber
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientTridecane
Perfuming
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Oleate
Emulsifying
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Diisostearoyl Polyglyceryl-3 Dimer Dilinoleate
Emollient
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate
CleansingCaesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Pod Extract
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Citrate
BufferingHelianthus Annuus Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Butane, Water, Isobutane, Diethylhexyl Adipate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Undecane, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Glycerin, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Tridecane, Dibutyl Adipate, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Polyglyceryl-3 Oleate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Maltodextrin, Phenoxyethanol, Diisostearoyl Polyglyceryl-3 Dimer Dilinoleate, Saccharide Isomerate, Arginine, Coco-Glucoside, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Pod Extract, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Helianthus Annuus Sprout Extract, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butane is a gas derived from petroleum and natural gas. It is used as an aerosol propellant.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexyl 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 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 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Tocopherol 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
