La Roche-Posay Mela B3 UV SPF 30 Versus La Roche-Posay Anthelios Anti-Shine Invisible Fresh Mist Spray SPF 50
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC15-19 Alkane
SolventNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
2-Mercaptonicotinoyl Glycine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
HumectantSodium Thiosulfate
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
Masking
Water, C15-19 Alkane, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Silica, Titanium Dioxide, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tin Oxide, Potassium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Arachidyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, 2-Mercaptonicotinoyl Glycine, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Sodium Thiosulfate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Phenoxyethanol, CI 14700, Mica, Parfum
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
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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient 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.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or '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 by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolThis ingredient is a polymer made from acrylic acid esters and long-chain (C10–C30) alcohols.
It is used as an emulsion stabilizer and viscosity controlling agent. This helps products maintain a smooth and uniform texture.
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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
