What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOctocrylene
UV Absorber
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Drometrizole Trisiloxane
UV Absorber
Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Triethanolamine
BufferingIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer
Dimethicone
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingMethylparaben
Preservative
PEG-100 Stearate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Octocrylene, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Titanium Dioxide, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Triethanolamine, Isopropyl Palmitate, Stearic Acid, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Dimethicone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Aluminum Hydroxide, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycine Soja Oil, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Methylparaben, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben, Stearyl Alcohol, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
PEG-30 Stearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Acetate
Emollient
Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCapryloyl Glycine
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Steareth-10
Emulsifying
Tetrasodium EDTA
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Octyldodecanol, PEG-30 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Acetate, Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Capryloyl Glycine, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Steareth-10, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Parfum
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 CrosspolymerDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePhenoxyethanol 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
