Neutrogena Clear Face Break-Out Free Liquid Lotion Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Versus Vanicream Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50+
This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging.
This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
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
Zinc Oxide 12%
Cosmetic Colorant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Dibehenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Isodecyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Isopropyl Isostearate
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyester-7
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Silica Silylate
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSqualane
Emollient
Tribehenin
Emollient
Tridecyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide 12%, Allantoin, Butyloctyl Salicylate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethiconol, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Glyceryl Stearate, Isodecyl Salicylate, Isopropyl Isostearate, Lecithin, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyester-7, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Propanediol, Silica Silylate, Sodium Chloride, Squalane, Tribehenin, Tridecyl Salicylate, Water
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 BenzoateCaprylyl 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 GlycolNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate is a lightweight synthetic emollient that also helps improve how a product feels and spreads.
In a formula, it's a workhorse that:
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics and found to be a non-ocular (eye) irritant at 100% in rabbits.
Usage levels vary depending on product type; industry surveys report it around 2.2% in baby products, 19.5% in hair sprays, and 1-20% in skincare.
Learn more about Neopentyl Glycol DiheptanoateWe don't have a description for Polyester-7 yet.
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
