What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOctocrylene
UV Absorber
Isododecane
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Diisopropyl Adipate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDiisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Petrolatum
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTriethanolamine
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water, Octocrylene, Isododecane, Glycerin, Diisopropyl Adipate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Petrolatum, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Carbomer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Triethanolamine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Benzophenone-3
UV Absorber
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Amps/Hema Crosspolymer
C13-15 Alkane
SolventCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Kojic Dipalmitate
Emollient
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Petrolatum
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Menthol
Masking
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Benzophenone-3, Phospholipids, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Betaine, Amps/Hema Crosspolymer, C13-15 Alkane, Coco-Glucoside, Kojic Dipalmitate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Panthenol, Petrolatum, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Menthol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Also 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 MethoxydibenzoylmethaneGlycerin (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 GlycerinPetrolatum is more commonly known as petroleum jelly. It is created by mixing waxes and mineral oils.
This ingredient is effective at reducing water loss by 99%. This is because it is an occlusive. Occlusives create a hydrophobic barrier on the skin to prevent evaporation. This property makes it great for hydrating dry skin.
Pro tip: Use occlusives, such as this ingredient, on damp skin for the best results.
The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand. Most cosmetic petrolatum has gone through several purification stages.
Another benefit of occlusives is it protects your skin against infection or allergies.
Petrolatum is fungal acne safe. It is a hydrocarbon with no fatty acid structure, so Malassezia cannot metabolize it. In-vitro studies support negligible growth stimulation as well.
It's also worth noting that petrolatum has a comedogenic rating of 0. In updated rabbit ear testing (and in human testing), petrolatum was found to be not comedogenic. This means it didn’t promote comedone formation in standard models.
Learn more about PetrolatumPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
