What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 9%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 2%
UV Absorber
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Isododecane
EmollientButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Ethylcellulose
Sodium Acetate
BufferingGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Oryza Sativa Germ Extract
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cereus Grandiflorus Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tropaeolum Majus Flower/Leaf Extract
RefreshingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2%, Homosalate 9%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%, Octocrylene 2%, Alcohol Denat., Isododecane, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Pvp, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Ethylcellulose, Sodium Acetate, Glycine Soja Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Oryza Sativa Extract, Oryza Sativa Germ Extract, Water, Glycerin, Cereus Grandiflorus Flower Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Tropaeolum Majus Flower/Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin
Octocrylene 7.6%
UV Absorber
Zinc Oxide 6%
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningCoconut Alkanes
Emollient
Calcium Sodium Borosilicate
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Ethyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Montmorillonite
AbsorbentSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSucrose Distearate
Emollient
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingOctocrylene 7.6%, Zinc Oxide 6%, Water, Coconut Alkanes, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Parfum, Niacinamide, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Jojoba Esters, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Tocopherol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Coco-Glucoside, Ethyl Ferulate, Glycerin, Montmorillonite, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sucrose Distearate, Sucrose Stearate, Xanthan Gum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butyloctyl Salicylate is a chemical UV filter structurally similar to octisalate. It is a photostabilizer, SPF booster, emollient and solvent. This ingredient helps evenly spread out ingredients.
According to a manufacturer, it is suitable for pairing with micro Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, and pigments.
Photostabilizers help stabilize UV-filters and prevents them from degrading quickly.
Learn more about Butyloctyl SalicylateCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinOctocrylene 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 OctocryleneParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumWater. 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
