Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Sunscreen Face Lotion - SPF 50 Versus Missha All-Around Safe Block Essence Sun SPF45 PA+++
This mineral sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
This chemical sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 45.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zinc Oxide 21.6%
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialOctyldodecyl Citrate Crosspolymer
HumectantStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethyl Methicone
Emollient
Cetyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Colloidal Oatmeal
Absorbent
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower/Leaf/Stem Juice
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetyl Dimethicone/Bis-Vinyldimethicone Crosspolymer
Emollient
Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Zinc Oxide 21.6%, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Octyldodecyl Citrate Crosspolymer, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Phenyl Trimethicone, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Glycerin, Ethyl Methicone, Cetyl Dimethicone, Silica, Colloidal Oatmeal, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower/Leaf/Stem Juice, Glyceryl Behenate, Phenethyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Dimethicone/Bis-Vinyldimethicone Crosspolymer, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
UV Absorber
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer
Rosa Davurica Bud Extract
Antioxidant
Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningChrysanthemum Indicum Flower Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDiospyros Kaki Leaf Extract
Skin Protecting
Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
Masking
Morus Alba Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Pueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Morus Alba Root Extract
BleachingCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Limonia Acidissima Extract
Skin ConditioningCentaurea Cyanus Flower Water
Skin Conditioning
Thymus Vulgaris Leaf Water
Skin ConditioningHelichrysum Italicum Flower Water
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polyacrylate-13
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Polyisobutene
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
BHT
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
ChelatingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Rosa Davurica Bud Extract, Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract, Chrysanthemum Indicum Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Morus Alba Fruit Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Morus Alba Root Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Limonia Acidissima Extract, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Thymus Vulgaris Leaf Water, Helichrysum Italicum Flower Water, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 60, Dimethicone, Polyacrylate-13, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyisobutene, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, BHT, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 20, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, 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.
This polymer has film-forming properties and helps leave behind a soft film on the skin with oxygen permeability.
That's why you'll most likely find this in sunscreen formulations.
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 GlycolDimethicone 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 DimethiconeWater. 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
