This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging.
This chemical sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 55.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDiisopropyl Adipate
EmollientPropylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDiisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientMethylpropanediol
SolventMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningOctenidine Hcl
AntimicrobialPolyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLecithin
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Colostrum
Skin Conditioning
Water, Diisopropyl Adipate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Octocrylene, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Methylpropanediol, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Caffeine, Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Octenidine Hcl, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Gluconate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Parfum, Colostrum
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate/Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer
EmollientSqualane
Emollient
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Dibehenate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrated Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningDehydroxanthan Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingWater, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Phospholipids, Polysorbate 80, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Decyl Glucoside, Propylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate/Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer, Squalane, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Sodium Carbomer, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrated Silica, Sodium Gluconate, Dehydroxanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine
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 CrosspolymerC12-15 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 BenzoateEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 is the synthetic salt of gluconic acid, a form of PHA and mild exfoliant.
It is mainly used to stabilize oil and butter formulations from going bad. Sodium gluconate is a humectant, pH regulator, and chelating agent.
Chelating agents help neutralize unwanted metals from affecting the formulation.
Sodium gluconate is water-soluble.
Learn more about Sodium GluconateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
