What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Diisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientSilica
Abrasive
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer
StabilisingPropanediol
Solvent
Drometrizole Trisiloxane
UV Absorber
Perlite
Absorbent
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingTerephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Triethanolamine
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water, Alcohol Denat., Diisopropyl Sebacate, Silica, Isopropyl Myristate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Glycerin, C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer, Propanediol, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Perlite, Tocopherol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Triethanolamine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Octocrylene 7%
UV Absorber
Titanium Dioxide 4.15%
Cosmetic Colorant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Drometrizole Trisiloxane 2.5%
UV Absorber
Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid 0.5%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Nylon-12
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingTriethanolamine
BufferingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Dimethicone
Emollient
Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Octocrylene 7%, Titanium Dioxide 4.15%, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Drometrizole Trisiloxane 2.5%, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid 0.5%, Water, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Alcohol Denat., Propylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Nylon-12, Stearic Acid, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Triethanolamine, Palmitic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aluminum Hydroxide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Silica, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerAlcohol 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 a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-A range.
Avobenzone is globally approved and is the most commonly used UV-A filter in the world.
Studies have found that avobenzone becomes ineffective when exposed to UV light (it is not photostable; meaning that it breaks down in sunlight). Because of this, formulations that include avobenzone will usually contain stabilizers such as octocrylene.
However, some modern formulations (looking at you, EU!) are able to stabilize avobenzone by coating the molecules.
Avobenzone does not protect against the UV-B range, so it's important to check that the sunscreen you're using contains other UV filters that do!
The highest concentration of avobenzone permitted is 3% in the US, and 5% in the EU.
Learn more about Butyl MethoxydibenzoylmethaneDrometrizole Trisiloxane is a UV filter that provides both UV-A (344 nm) and UV-B (303 nm) protection.
This ingredient is photostable and studies show it to be generally safe and effective. The compound Meroxyl XL is owned by L'Oreal while Drometrizole trisiloxane can be found in other sunscreen brands.
It is currently approved for use in the EU, Canada, Australia, and Japan. However, it is not yet approved for use in the US.
This ingredient is often used with other sunscreen ingredients, such as Ecamsule.
Learn more about Drometrizole TrisiloxaneGlycerin (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 GlycerinSilica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaEcamsule is a UV-A absorber (290–400 nm) patented by L'Oreal. It is derived from benzylidene camphor, making it highly photostable.
Ecamsule is able to prevent UV from reaching the skin. It absorbs UV and releases it as thermal energy.
It does this by:
The pH of ecamsule needs to be neutralized due to it being an acid. Triethanolamine is a pH adjusting ingredient often used with ecamsule.
This sunscreen ingredient is approved for use in the EU, Canada, and Asia. In the US, you will only find this ingredient in select L'Oreal products.
Learn more about Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic AcidTocopherol 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 TocopherolTriethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
If you are looking for the tea leaf ingredient, click here.
Learn more about TriethanolamineWater. 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
