What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientEthylhexyl Stearate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialMethylpropanediol
SolventOctocrylene
UV AbsorberHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
EmollientPhenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV AbsorberUbiquinone
AntioxidantSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCreatine
Skin Conditioning1-Methylhydantoin-2-Imide
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTrisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeLinalool
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingParfum
MaskingCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Alcohol Denat., Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Methylpropanediol, Octocrylene, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Ubiquinone, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Creatine, 1-Methylhydantoin-2-Imide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Trisodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol, Parfum, CI 16035
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberDimethicone
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialOctocrylene
UV AbsorberNylon-12
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberOctyldodecanol
EmollientPhenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV AbsorberCetyl Alcohol
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientTriethanolamine
BufferingIsopropyl Isostearate
EmollientHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantAcetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingDisodium EDTA
Faex Extract
Skin ConditioningSalicyloyl Phytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingDisodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientMyristic Acid
CleansingPalmitic Acid
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPoly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate
Emulsion StabilisingPolyethylene
AbrasivePolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
CleansingSilica
AbrasiveTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingCI 15510
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTocopherol
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Dimethicone, Alcohol Denat., Octocrylene, Nylon-12, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Octyldodecanol, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Isopropyl Isostearate, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Acetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine, Adenosine, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Faex Extract, Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine, Retinyl Palmitate, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Polyethylene, Polysorbate 60, Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sorbitan Oleate, Stearic Acid, Silica, Titanium Dioxide, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, CI 15510, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, 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.
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.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 MethoxydibenzoylmethaneCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholEthylhexyl Salicylate is an organic compound used to block UV rays. It primarily absorbs UVB rays but offers a small amount of UVA protection as well.
Commonly found in sunscreens, Ethylhexyl Salicylate is created from salicylic acid and 2-ethylhexanol. You might know salicylic acid as the effective acne fighter ingredient and BHA.
The ethylhexanol in this ingredient is a fatty alcohol and helps hydrate your skin, similar to oils. It is an emollient, which means it traps moisture into the skin.
According to manufacturers, Ethylhexyl Salicylate absorbs UV wavelength of 295-315 nm, with a peak absorption at 307-310 nm. UVA rays are linked to long term skin damage, such as hyperpigmentation. UVB rays emit more energy and are capable of damaging our DNA. UVB rays cause sunburn.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl SalicylateGeraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.
Monoterpenes are naturally found in many parts of different plants.
Geraniol can be found in many essential oils including Rose Oil and Citronella Oil. The scent of Geraniol is often described as "rose-like". Many foods also contain Geraniol for fruit flavoring.
Geraniol can irritate the skin when exposed to air. However, irritation depends on the ability of geraniol to penetrate into the skin. In general, geraniol is not able to penetrate skin easily.
Geraniol is colorless and has low water-solubility. However, it is soluble in common organic solvents.
Like citronellol, it is a natural insect repellent.
2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-
Learn more about GeraniolGlycerin (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 GlycerinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolOctocrylene 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.
This ingredient is more commonly known as Ensulizole, a chemical sunscreen ingredient.
Ensulizole mainly protects UV-B (290-340 nm) but offers a little UV-A (320-400 nm) protection. It is often paired with less photo-stable sunscreen ingredients due to its photo-stability.
Due to it being water-soluble, Ensulizole helps give sunscreens a light and non-oily texture.
Ensulizole is approved worldwide:
Learn more about Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic AcidWater. 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