La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Stick Versus BioNike Defence Sun Stick SPF 50+
Updated on February 11, 2025
Overview
What they are
These products are both sunscreens. They have a total of 6 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain exfoliants, SPF and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain oils
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Ingredient Info
La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Stick 16 ingredients
BioNike Defence Sun Stick SPF 50+ 26 ingredients
What's inside (and what isn't)
What's inside (and what isn't)
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Stick 16 ingredients
BioNike Defence Sun Stick SPF 50+ 26 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter is a plant lipid from the fruit of the Shea Tree. It is an effective skin hydrator and emollient.
Emollients help soothe and soften your skin. It does this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
Shea butter is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may harm the body. It is also full of fatty acids including stearic acid and linoleic acid. These acids help replenish the skin and keep skin moisturized.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
Shea butter may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterPolyethylene is a synthetic ingredient that helps the skin retain moisture. It is a polymer.
It is also typically used within product formulations to help bind solid ingredients together and thicken oil-based ingredients. When added to balms and emulsions, it helps increase the melting point temperature.
Silica is a mineral naturally found in our skin. It helps to thicken and smooth the texture of a product. It also acts as an agent for other ingredients by increasing the absorption of other ingredients into the skin.
Silica is often used for absorption and can help reduce shine when products are applied. Silica occurs in naturally in materials like clay and sandstone, and it can also be produced synthetically.
Silica is present naturally within the skin during collagen production and when reducing inflammation.
Learn more about SilicaTitanium Dioxide is a mineral (or physical) sunscreen ingredient that provides broad-spectrum protection by blocking both UV-A and UV-B rays.
It sits on the skin’s surface and primarily reflects and scatters UV light and also absorbs some of it.
This makes the line between “mineral” and “chemical” sunscreens a bit blurry, but in skincare labeling, Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide are the two ingredients officially classified as mineral filters.
Because it’s non-irritating, Titanium Dioxide is often recommended for sensitive or acne-prone skin.
Thanks to modern production methods, nano-scale or fine-grade Titanium Dioxide is now widely used in cosmetics to reduce white cast and improve texture.
Despite its small particle size, studies show that Titanium Dioxide, even in nanoparticle form, is not absorbed into the skin.
Learn more about Titanium DioxideTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterIngredient Ratings
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