What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 5%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 7%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Dimethicone
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingT-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 7%, Water, Glycerin, Silica, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Allantoin, Ceramide NP, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Myristic Acid, Myristyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Disodium EDTA, Capryloyl Glycine, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, T-Butyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Tocopherol
Homosalate 5.5%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 4%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Biosaccharide Gum-4
Skin Conditioning
Jasminum Sambac Leaf Cell Extract
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingDibutyl Ethylhexanoyl Glutamide
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Homosalate 5.5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%, Octocrylene 4%, Water, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Octyldodecanol, Caprylyl Methicone, Propanediol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hyaluronic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Jasminum Sambac Leaf Cell Extract, Glycerin, Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide, Carbomer, Aminomethyl Propanol, Dibutyl Ethylhexanoyl Glutamide, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Disodium EDTA, 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.
Dimethicone 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 DimethiconeDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexyl Salicylate is an organic compound used to block UV rays. It primarily absorbs UVB rays but offers a small amount of UVA protection as well.
Commonly found in sunscreens, Ethylhexyl Salicylate is created from salicylic acid and 2-ethylhexanol. You might know salicylic acid as the effective acne fighter ingredient and BHA.
The ethylhexanol in this ingredient is a fatty alcohol and helps hydrate your skin, similar to oils. It is an emollient, which means it traps moisture into the skin.
According to manufacturers, Ethylhexyl Salicylate absorbs UV wavelength of 295-315 nm, with a peak absorption at 307-310 nm. UVA rays are linked to long term skin damage, such as hyperpigmentation. UVB rays emit more energy and are capable of damaging our DNA. UVB rays cause sunburn.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl SalicylateGlycerin (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 GlycerinHomosalate is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-B range (280nm - 320 nm), with a peak protection at 306 nm. It is internationally approved for use in sunscreens.
Homosalate is not photo-stable, meaning it's strength as a UV filter degrades over time with exposure to the sun. Because of this, it's often used in combination with other chemical sunscreen filters as avobenzone (which protects from the UV-A range). Homosalate also helps act as a solvent for harder-to-dissolve UV filters.
(Part of the reason that sunscreens need to be frequently re-applied is due to the photo instability of many chemical sunscreen filters)
Currently, homosalate is approved in concentrations up to 10% in the EU and 15% in the US. The FDA is currently doing further research on the effects of homosalate, and it is possible that these approved concentrations will change in the future.
Learn more about HomosalateOctocrylene protects skin from sun damage. It absorbs UV-B with peak absorption of 304 nm. It is a common sunscreen ingredient and often paired with avobenzone, a UVA filter. This is because octocrylene stabilizes other sunscreen ingredients by protecting them from degradation when exposed to sunlight. Octocrylene is a photostable ingredient and loses about 10% of SPF in 95 minutes.
Octocrylene also acts as an emollient, meaning it helps skin retain moisture and softens skin. It is oil-soluble and hydrophobic, enhancing water-resistant properties in a product.
Those who are using ketoprofen, a topical anti-inflammatory drug, may experience an allergic reaction when using octocrylene. It is best to speak with a healthcare professional about using sunscreens with octocrylene.
The EU allows a maximum of these concentrations:
Learn more about OctocryleneWater. 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
