What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Cocoate
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Distarch Phosphate
AbsorbentTapioca Starch
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCopernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDiisostearoyl Polyglyceryl-3 Dimer Dilinoleate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Linalyl Acetate
Masking
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Vanillin
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Alcohol Denat., Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Ethylhexyl Cocoate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Dibutyl Adipate, Glycerin, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Distarch Phosphate, Tapioca Starch, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Diisostearoyl Polyglyceryl-3 Dimer Dilinoleate, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil, Cetyl Palmitate, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalyl Acetate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citronellol, Vanillin, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Oxidized Starch Acetate
Skin ConditioningCopernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer
StabilisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Triethanolamine
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDrometrizole Trisiloxane
UV Absorber
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates Copolymer
Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientWater, Isopropyl Palmitate, Alcohol Denat., Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Glycerin, Propanediol, Titanium Dioxide, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Oxidized Starch Acetate, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer, Tocopherol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Benzoate, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates Copolymer, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ceramide NP, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Aluminum Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.This ingredient is better known as bemotrizinol or Tinosorb S and is one of the best broad-spectrum UV filters in modern sunscreen.
It works by absorbing UV light across a whole range (280-400 nm) with peaks around 310 nm (UVB) and 340-345 nm (UVA). This means it covers UVB plus the deeper UVA wavelengths that drive photoaging and pigmentation.
Another pro?
It's exceptionally photostable, barely degrades in sunlight, and acts as a "bodyguard" for less stable filters.
That's why you'll see it paired with avobenzone or octinoxate; this team up ensures they keep working through sun exposure.
Safety reviews have been reassuring across the board. This ingredient shows low absorption through the skin, rarely irritates, and lab studies found it doesn't act like a hormone in the body (a concern that's been raised about some older sunscreen filters).
On maximum concentrations:
In 2026, the US F.D.A finally added it as an OTC sunscreen ingredient at concentrations up to 6% for adults / children 6 months and older
Learn more about Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl TriazineAlso 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 MethoxydibenzoylmethaneThis ingredient comes from a palm tree native to Brazil. This ingredient is used to thicken texture and leaves behind a film when applied.
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (DHHB) is a chemical UV-A absorber. It is formulated for high UVA protection (320-400 nm).
DHHB is well-liked for:
DHHB has been approved by the EU, Japan, Taiwan, and South America for use up to 10%. Unfortunately, it has not been approved for use in the US or Canada due to slow regulatory processes.
This ingredient is soluble in oils, fats, and lipids.
Learn more about Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl BenzoateEthylhexyl Triazone is a modern chemical sunscreen that protects from UV-B radiation.
It is the most effective of existing UV-B filters, as it provides the highest level of photo-stable absorption. It protects from the entire UV-B range (280 to 320nm), with it's highest level of protection at 314nm.
Ethylhexyl Triazone is oil soluble, oderless and colorless, which mean it is able to be incorporated into a variety of different formulations.
It is not currently available within the United States due to slow changing FDA regulations. Outside of the US, it is used in formulations at concentrations up to 5%.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl TriazoneGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneIsopropyl Palmitate is a lightweight emollient made by combining isopropyl alcohol and palmitic acid.
It is an emollient that leaves skin feeling smooth and silky without leaving a greasy feel.
Typical usage concentrations range from 1-5%.
Human testing shows it's non-irritating and non-sensitizing, and the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has cleared it at very high levels (79% in leave-on products).
The one thing worth knowing about its comedogenic score of 3-4 is to keep it in perspective: these ratings come from old rabbit-ear tests using 100% of pure ingredient and doesn't reflect how it behaves at low levels in a finished product.
Because it is an ester of palmitic acid (C16), it falls into the range that the Malassezia yeast can feed on and is considered not fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Isopropyl PalmitateTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.
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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
