What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberGlycerin
HumectantC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientTapioca Starch
Laureth-23
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Hydroxide
BufferingButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberDimethicone
EmollientMyristic Acid
CleansingMethylparaben
PreservativeArachidic Acid
CleansingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentTrisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningOleic Acid
EmollientSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Pearl
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingTrideceth-9
EmulsifyingCurcuma Aromatica Root Oil
Skin ConditioningDecylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Tapioca Starch, Laureth-23, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Hydroxide, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Dimethicone, Myristic Acid, Methylparaben, Arachidic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate, Trisodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Oleic Acid, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Hydrolyzed Pearl, Sodium Hyaluronate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Curcuma Aromatica Root Oil, Decylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Parfum, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclomethicone
EmollientDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialSucrose Polystearate
EmollientButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberDimethicone
EmollientMethylpropanediol
SolventOctocrylene
UV AbsorberPhenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV AbsorberUbiquinone
AntioxidantCreatine
Skin Conditioning1-Methylhydantoin-2-Imide
Skin ConditioningFucus Vesiculosus Extract
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDimethiconol
EmollientHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientDistarch Phosphate
AbsorbentChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sodium Chloride
MaskingTrisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingParfum
MaskingCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclomethicone, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Alcohol Denat., Sucrose Polystearate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Dimethicone, Methylpropanediol, Octocrylene, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Ubiquinone, Creatine, 1-Methylhydantoin-2-Imide, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethiconol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Distarch Phosphate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Chloride, Trisodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Geraniol, Parfum, CI 42090
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 an oil-soluble used to absorb the full spectrum of UVA rays (peak 357 nm).
It's one of the most effective UVA filters available but has a major caveat of photostability: avobenzone is susceptible to photodegradation.
This means it can lose efficacy when exposed to sunlight without the help of a stabilizing agent.
Studies show antioxidants (like vitamin E or vitamin C) and some UV filters (like octocrylene and Tinosorb S) can meaningfully improve its stability in a formulation.
The maximum allowable concentration according to regulation is 3% in the US + Canada, and 5% in the EU, Australia, China, Korea, and ASEAN countries.
It has a well-support safety profile: a comprehensive 2025 review found minimal toxicity with no evidence of carcinogenicity.
Overall, avobenzone is a safe and regulated ingredient used in sunscreen for over 40 years.
Learn more about Butyl MethoxydibenzoylmethaneDimethicone 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 DimethiconeEthylhexyl Salicylate (also called Octisalate or Octyl Salicylate) is an oil-soluble organic UV filter that's been used in sunscreen since the 1950's.
It absorbs UVB light in the 280-320 nm range with a peak absorbance around 306 nm.
You'll often see it paired with other UV filters to boost overall SPF because octisalate is a fairly week filter on its own.
The reason you'll see it so often is because it can help solubilize and stabilize the trickier filters like oxybenzone and avobenzone.
Unlike these filters, octisalate has pretty good photostability and doesn't create skin-damaging free radicals when exposed to sunlight.
The fatty-alcohol part of the molecule also gives it a light, emollient feel so it doubles as a nice texture enhancer.
Usage levels vary around the world:
Safety-wise, this ingredient has a pretty reassuring track record. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) found very low skin penetration in human skin tests and negative results for irritation, phototoxicity, and photoallergy.
The real-world allergy risk is pretty low too; a 2012 European study of 1,031 people recorded only 2 reactions to it (a rate of 0.19%).
You might have seen scary headlines about sunscreen getting into your blood.
In 2019, the FDA found that several chemical filters can absorb through the skin and show up in the bloodstream at small but measurable levels.
Here's the important part: these tiny levels are just a cutoff the FDA uses to decide which ingredients need more testing and doesn't mean anything harmful was found.
The researchers were clear that the results are no reason to stop wearing sunscreen.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl SalicylateGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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.
Trisodium EDTA is one of those quietly essential helper ingredients that most people have never heard of. You'll most likely spot it near the end of ingredient lists in almost every category of skincare.
So what does it actually do?
Its main job is chelation; this is a fancy word to say it grabs onto metal ions and neutralizes them. This is because even purified water in cosmetics contains trace amounts of metals that can cause big problems in a formula.
These trace metals can break down actives faster, cause discoloration, promote rancidity in oils, and make preservatives less effective. Trisodium EDTA binds to these metals and takes them out of the equation so your products can stay stable and effective for longer.
There's also an added bonus: by neutralizing the metals ions that bacteria need to thrive, this ingredient also acts as a preservative booster.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetic formulations. It is not considered an irritant, sensitizer, and is barely absorbed through the skin.
Learn more about Trisodium EDTAWater. 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