What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 4%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 2%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingBlue 1 Lake
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2%, Homosalate 4%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4%, Octocrylene 2%, Water, Glycerin, Caprylyl Methicone, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Stearate, Chlorphenesin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide, Blue 1 Lake, CI 16035
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Sodium Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonate
UV Absorber
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Trisodium EDTA
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Methylpropanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Octocrylene, Sodium Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cera Microcristallina, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Paraffinum Liquidum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Glucoside, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Dimethicone, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Trisodium EDTA, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Citronellol, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene, Geraniol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citral, Parfum
Reviews
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 a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-A range.
Avobenzone is globally approved and is the most commonly used UV-A filter in the world.
Studies have found that avobenzone becomes ineffective when exposed to UV light (it is not photostable; meaning that it breaks down in sunlight). Because of this, formulations that include avobenzone will usually contain stabilizers such as octocrylene.
However, some modern formulations (looking at you, EU!) are able to stabilize avobenzone by coating the molecules.
Avobenzone does not protect against the UV-B range, so it's important to check that the sunscreen you're using contains other UV filters that do!
The highest concentration of avobenzone permitted is 3% in the US, and 5% in the EU.
Learn more about Butyl MethoxydibenzoylmethaneEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateOctocrylene protects skin from sun damage. It absorbs UV-B with peak absorption of 304 nm. It is a common sunscreen ingredient and often paired with avobenzone, a UVA filter. This is because octocrylene stabilizes other sunscreen ingredients by protecting them from degradation when exposed to sunlight. Octocrylene is a photostable ingredient and loses about 10% of SPF in 95 minutes.
Octocrylene also acts as an emollient, meaning it helps skin retain moisture and softens skin. It is oil-soluble and hydrophobic, enhancing water-resistant properties in a product.
Those who are using ketoprofen, a topical anti-inflammatory drug, may experience an allergic reaction when using octocrylene. It is best to speak with a healthcare professional about using sunscreens with octocrylene.
The EU allows a maximum of these concentrations:
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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
