What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
Solvent
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil
Emollient
Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Diethylhexyl Carbonate
EmollientDiethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV Absorber
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientLauryl Glucoside
CleansingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Propanediol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Octocrylene, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Diethylhexyl Carbonate, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Lauryl Glucoside
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 9%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 5%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Diisopropyl Adipate
EmollientPhenethyl Benzoate
Emollient
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Ceteth-10 Phosphate
CleansingDicetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMangifera Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPassiflora Incarnata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPlumeria Acutifolia Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPsidium Guajava Fruit Extract
AstringentButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 9%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4%, Octocrylene 5%, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Diisopropyl Adipate, Phenethyl Benzoate, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Parfum, Coco-Glucoside, Chlorphenesin, Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Dicetyl Phosphate, Sodium Hydroxide, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Paraffin, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract, Passiflora Incarnata Fruit Extract, Plumeria Acutifolia Flower Extract, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract
Reviews
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 CrosspolymerAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceAlso known as Avobenzone, this ingredient is an oil-soluble used to absorb the full spectrum of UVA rays (peak 357 nm).
It's one of the most effective UVA filters available but has a major caveat of photostability: avobenzone is susceptible to photodegradation.
This means it can lose efficacy when exposed to sunlight without the help of a stabilizing agent.
Studies show antioxidants (like vitamin E or vitamin C) and some UV filters (like octocrylene and Tinosorb S) can meaningfully improve its stability in a formulation.
The maximum allowable concentration according to regulation is 3% in the US + Canada, and 5% in the EU, Australia, China, Korea, and ASEAN countries.
It has a well-support safety profile: a comprehensive 2025 review found minimal toxicity with no evidence of carcinogenicity.
Overall, avobenzone is a safe and regulated ingredient used in sunscreen for over 40 years.
Learn more about Butyl MethoxydibenzoylmethaneC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.
Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateOctocrylene is an oil-soluble organic UV filter that mainly absorbs UVB and short wave UVA II light.
Its real superpower is teamwork: octocrylene is remarkably photostable and is most famous for stabilizing avobenzone (the workhorse UVA filter).
This ingredient is commonly used to enhance both UVB and UVA protection due to its unique property in stabilizing avobenzone. It also pulls double duty by boosting water resistance and giving formulas a smooth, spreadable feel.
The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has deemed octocrylene to be safe as a UV-filter at concentrations up to 10% (capped at 9% in propellant sprays). The US also permits it up to 10%.
Two things worth knowing:
You'll usually see this ingredient used in concentrations between 2-10% (higher amounts when used as a stabilizer for avobenzone).
Learn more about OctocryleneSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
