What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 10%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 10%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
Cetyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSteareth-100
Gel FormingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Dimethicone
Emollient
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingPolyester-7
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientBisabolol
Antioxidant
Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Mannan
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBHT
Antioxidant
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingSarcosine
Skin Conditioning
Cedrus Atlantica Bark Extract
Perfuming
Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract
Antimicrobial
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 10%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 10%, Water, Silica, Cetyl Dimethicone, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Steareth-100, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Dimethicone, Steareth-2, Polyester-7, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Disodium EDTA, Propylene Glycol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Bisabolol, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Mannan, Xanthan Gum, BHT, Capryloyl Glycine, Trideceth-6, Sarcosine, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Extract, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningDiisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Diisopropyl Adipate
EmollientPEG-8
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantC12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer
StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Drometrizole Trisiloxane
UV Absorber
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Methoxypropylamino Cyclohexenylidene Ethoxyethylcyanoacetate
Stabilising
Silica
Abrasive
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Acrylates Copolymer
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Triethanolamine
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Alcohol Denat., Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Diisopropyl Adipate, PEG-8, Dipropylene Glycol, C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer, Glycerin, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Methoxypropylamino Cyclohexenylidene Ethoxyethylcyanoacetate, Silica, Tocopherol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Acrylates Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Triethanolamine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate is a synthetic powder used as an absorbent, thickener, and anti-caking agent.
As an absorbent, it is great at mattifying skin by soaking up the oil. This is why you'll find it in a range of products from makeup to moisturizers.
This ingredient is considered a modified starch. Starch can also be found naturally in plants.
One study from 1991 found that 5% of this ingredient enhanced titanium dioxide SPF by as much as 40%. The study found 1% titanium dioxide had a 5.6 SPF and adding 5% of aluminum starch octenylsuccinate boosted it to an SPF of 8.1
Although “aluminum” in an ingredient name can raise red flags for some consumers, the form and usage context matter significantly. For typical topical applications, there is no substantial evidence of health risks - such as cancer, neurotoxicity, or systemic “aluminum overload.”
Learn more about Aluminum Starch OctenylsuccinateAlso 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 MethoxydibenzoylmethaneCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolEthylhexyl Salicylate (also called Octisalate or Octyl Salicylate) is an oil-soluble organic UV filter that's been used in sunscreen since the 1950's.
It absorbs UVB light in the 280-320 nm range with a peak absorbance around 306 nm.
You'll often see it paired with other UV filters to boost overall SPF because octisalate is a fairly week filter on its own.
The reason you'll see it so often is because it can help solubilize and stabilize the trickier filters like oxybenzone and avobenzone.
Unlike these filters, octisalate has pretty good photostability and doesn't create skin-damaging free radicals when exposed to sunlight.
The fatty-alcohol part of the molecule also gives it a light, emollient feel so it doubles as a nice texture enhancer.
Usage levels vary around the world:
Safety-wise, this ingredient has a pretty reassuring track record. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) found very low skin penetration in human skin tests and negative results for irritation, phototoxicity, and photoallergy.
The real-world allergy risk is pretty low too; a 2012 European study of 1,031 people recorded only 2 reactions to it (a rate of 0.19%).
You might have seen scary headlines about sunscreen getting into your blood.
In 2019, the FDA found that several chemical filters can absorb through the skin and show up in the bloodstream at small but measurable levels.
Here's the important part: these tiny levels are just a cutoff the FDA uses to decide which ingredients need more testing and doesn't mean anything harmful was found.
The researchers were clear that the results are no reason to stop wearing sunscreen.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl SalicylateSilica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaSodium Polyacrylate is the sodium salt of polyacrylic acid. It is used as an absorber, emollient, and stabilizer.
This ingredient is a super-absorbent polymer - meaning it can absorb 100 to 1000 times its mass in water. As an emollient, Sodium Polyacrylate helps soften and soothe skin. Emollients work by creating a barrier to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
Water. 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
