Neutrogena Clear Face Break-Out Free Liquid Lotion Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Versus Neutrogena Purescreen+ Mineral UV Tint Face Liquid Sunscreen SPF 30
This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging.
This mineral sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~97% of UVB at SPF 30.
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
ChelatingPropylene 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
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningIsohexadecane
EmollientDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSodium Chloride
MaskingPolyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDimethiconol
Emollient
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingIron Oxides
Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Water, Isohexadecane, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dimethicone, Isopropyl Palmitate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dimethiconol, Aluminum Hydroxide, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Stearic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Iron Oxides
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
C12-15 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 BenzoateDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin 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 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 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
