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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 AquaGel SPF30 versus Biore UV Watery Gel Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++ .

Published on October 15, 2021

Overview

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid and SPF

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any common allergens, oils, parabens or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain harsh alcohols, fragrances and silicones

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Day Moisturizer French Brand France
Sunscreen Japanese Brand Japan

Day Moisturizer

Day Moisturizers are marketed to hydrate the skin during the daytime.

Sunscreen

Sunscreens help absorb or reflect UV radiation and protect skin against skin damage. Sunscreens may come in the form of lotion, gel, foam, spray, or solid-stick.

Price

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
spf rating
30
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
spf rating
50

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Chemical UV Filter (6)
Vitamin E
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating
Reduces Irritation
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (2)
Rosacea (4)
Eczema (3)

Notable Ingredients

Chemical UV Filter (4)
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating
Brightening

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (2)
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Water. 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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 AquaGel SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 1.

Biore UV Watery Gel Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++ contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin

La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 AquaGel SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 2.

Biore UV Watery Gel Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++ contains this as ingredient number 16.

3
What it does: Antimicrobial, Astringent, Masking, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol and other additives. It has a low molecular weight and will evaporate quickly. This helps other ingredients become better absorbed and dry once applied.

Alcohol Denat. is volatile and may cause irritation. It helps draw out natural oils in skin and dry out your skin.

One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased irritation.

Alcohol is antibacterial by nature. This can help preserve products and increase their shelf life.

Other types of astringent alcohols include:

Learn more about Alcohol Denat.

La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 AquaGel SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 7.

Biore UV Watery Gel Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++ contains this as ingredient number 2.

4
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.

Dimethicone has been found increase absorption in skin, boosting the benefits of other ingredients. While there is concern for the safety of dimethicone, the levels used in skincare are safe for use.

La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 AquaGel SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 8.

Biore UV Watery Gel Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++ contains this as ingredient number 14.

5
What it does: UV Absorber, UV Filter
Community Rating: Liked

Ethylhexyl 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 Triazone

La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 AquaGel SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 12.

Biore UV Watery Gel Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++ contains this as ingredient number 4.

6
What it does: Emulsifying
Community Rating: Disliked

Dextrin Palmitate comes from the palmitic acid ester of Dextrin. It is used as an emulsifier and texture enhancer.

Emulsifiers help keep ingredients together. According to a manufacturer, dextrin palmitate helps create a low-viscosity gel texture.

Due to its fatty acid base, this ingredient is not fungal-acne safe.

Learn more about Dextrin Palmitate

La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 AquaGel SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 16.

Biore UV Watery Gel Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++ contains this as ingredient number 10.

7
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone used to improve the texture of products and absorb oil. It does not get absorbed into the skin.

Like other silicones, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer helps condition the skin by creating a barrier. In this sense, it can act as an emollient and trap moisture in.

La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 AquaGel SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 17.

Biore UV Watery Gel Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++ contains this as ingredient number 26.

8
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and 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.

La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 AquaGel SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 19.

Biore UV Watery Gel Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++ contains this as ingredient number 33.

9
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate

La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 AquaGel SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 21.

Biore UV Watery Gel Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++ contains this as ingredient number 32.

10
What it does: Masking, Perfuming
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "Parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'. The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Learn more about Parfum

La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 AquaGel SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 25.

Biore UV Watery Gel Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++ contains this as ingredient number 36.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

28% are loved or liked
8% have mixed ratings
56% are disliked or very disliked
8% have no rating yet
31% are loved or liked
14% have mixed ratings
44% are disliked or very disliked
11% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 AquaGel SPF30 25 ingredients

2.0 /5
from 1 rating
Expensive (1) Heavy (1) Oily (1)
medusa88's avatar

medusa88

5 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

So expensive for a product which has alcohol in it..

I have a combination skin and it made my forehead so oily that I had to stop using it after...

So expensive for a product which has alcohol in it..

I have a combination skin and it made my forehead so oily that I had to stop using it after 2 weeks.

Biore UV Watery Gel Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++ 36 ingredients

4.7 /5
from 3 ratings
Absorbs Well (1) Great Value (1) Hydrating (1) Light (1) Light Scent (1) Works Well (1)
Danananana's avatar

Danananana

1 year ago · Sensitive Skin
Review

Best Sunscreen
Provides ample skin protection and coverage, pleasantly melts into skin and leaves no stickiness and discomfort of something being...

Best Sunscreen
Provides ample skin protection and coverage, pleasantly melts into skin and leaves no stickiness and discomfort of something being on the face. Easily applied all over with watery gel texture. Pleasant smell that does not overwhelm and fades, with no irritiation. Also very affordable.

tofunway29's avatar

tofunway29

8 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

New formula has tone-up and I dont like it.
I had used 3 bottles of this in last couple of years. But the one I bought in 2023 has tone-up and it...

New formula has tone-up and I dont like it.
I had used 3 bottles of this in last couple of years. But the one I bought in 2023 has tone-up and it has quite sticky texture to touch. My skin is super oily and has yellow complexion, that's why I don't want tone-up. Overall, it is still a very good product.

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 AquaGel SPF30.

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