What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Octocrylene 2%
UV AbsorberWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingBlue 1 Lake
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantWater
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientOctocrylene
UV AbsorberMethylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV FilterButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberGlycerin
HumectantMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Cyclohexasiloxane
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Methylpropanediol
SolventHdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingC20-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentC30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMannitol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingRhamnose
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingEctoin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Octocrylene, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Glycerin, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Methylpropanediol, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate, C20-22 Alcohols, Decyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Pentylene Glycol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, C30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Mannitol, Xylitol, Sodium Hydroxide, Cellulose Gum, Rhamnose, Propylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Ectoin, Tocopherol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient comes as a powder made up of small, porous, microbeads. It is used to add a silky feel to products and also helps absorb oil.
Octocrylene 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 OctocrylenePentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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