What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
C18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Trisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingLinalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Anise Alcohol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Dibutyl Adipate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Cetyl Palmitate, C18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Trisodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citronellol, Anise Alcohol, Parfum
Butane
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Homosalate
Skin Conditioning
Drometrizole Trisiloxane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Dimethicone
Emollient
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Nylon-12
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDodecene
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Thermus Thermophillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningPEG-8 Laurate
Emulsifying
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate
Emulsion StabilisingPoloxamer 407
EmulsifyingIsododecane
EmollientIsostearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propylene Carbonate
SolventCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Lauryl PEG/PPG-18/18 Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Butane, Water, Dicaprylyl Ether, Homosalate, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Dimethicone, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Octocrylene, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Nylon-12, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Cyclohexasiloxane, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, P-Anisic Acid, Tocopherol, Sodium Chloride, Dodecene, Phenoxyethanol, Thermus Thermophillus Ferment, PEG-8 Laurate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Poloxamer 407, Isododecane, Isostearyl Alcohol, Propylene Carbonate, Caprylyl Glycol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Lauryl PEG/PPG-18/18 Methicone, Glycerin
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 MethoxydibenzoylmethaneCaprylyl 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 GlycolEthylhexyl 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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
