What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.9%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 8%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.9%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 6.2%
UV Absorber
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Cladonia Rangiferina Extract
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Seed Oil
Emollient
Ethyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Fructose
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Nylon-12
Polyester-8
Skin Conditioning
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingSilica Caprylyl Silylate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningWithania Somnifera Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.9%, Homosalate 8%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.9%, Octocrylene 6.2%, Alcohol Denat., Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Bisabolol, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Caffeine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Cladonia Rangiferina Extract, Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil, Ethyl Ferulate, Parfum, Fructose, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lauroyl Lysine, Nylon-12, Polyester-8, Pvp, Silica Caprylyl Silylate, Tocopherol, Water, Withania Somnifera Root Extract
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 7.5%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Cucumis Sativus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Artemisia Pallens Flower Oil
Masking
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Nobilis Oil
Masking
Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed
Perfuming
Ethyl Acetate
Perfuming
Gamma-Undecalactone
Perfuming
Ferula Galbaniflua Resin Oil
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Heliotropine
Masking
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Isoamyl Acetate
SolventIsobutyl Acetate
Perfuming
Jasminum Officinale Oil
Masking
Opoponax Oil
Masking
Polyester-8
Skin Conditioning
Porphyra Umbilicalis Extract
Skin ConditioningSalvia Sclarea Oil
Masking
Sd Alcohol 40-B
Astringent
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Va/Butyl Maleate/Isobornyl Acrylate Copolymer
Water
Skin ConditioningButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 7.5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Cucumis Sativus Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Artemisia Pallens Flower Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Bisabolol, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis Oil, Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed, Ethyl Acetate, Gamma-Undecalactone, Ferula Galbaniflua Resin Oil, Glycerin, Heliotropine, Hyaluronic Acid, Isoamyl Acetate, Isobutyl Acetate, Jasminum Officinale Oil, Opoponax Oil, Polyester-8, Porphyra Umbilicalis Extract, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Sd Alcohol 40-B, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Va/Butyl Maleate/Isobornyl Acrylate Copolymer, Water
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololAlso 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 MethoxydibenzoylmethaneEthylhexyl 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 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 GlycerinHomosalate is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-B range (280nm - 320 nm), with a peak protection at 306 nm. It is internationally approved for use in sunscreens.
Homosalate is not photo-stable, meaning it's strength as a UV filter degrades over time with exposure to the sun. Because of this, it's often used in combination with other chemical sunscreen filters as avobenzone (which protects from the UV-A range). Homosalate also helps act as a solvent for harder-to-dissolve UV filters.
(Part of the reason that sunscreens need to be frequently re-applied is due to the photo instability of many chemical sunscreen filters)
Currently, homosalate is approved in concentrations up to 10% in the EU and 15% in the US. The FDA is currently doing further research on the effects of homosalate, and it is possible that these approved concentrations will change in the future.
Learn more about HomosalateThis ingredient is also known as Polycrylene. It is a UV photostabilizer and often used in sunscreens as an alternative to octocrylene.
Polycrylene is used to stabilize other UV filters, especially avobenzone, which is known to degrade rapidly without stabilizers. It also absorbs UVB light, but is only about 1/3 as effective as octocrylene.
At its maximum recommended strength of 4%, this ingredient is not likely to make a significant contribution to SPF factor. Polycrylene has a large molecular weight so it's unlikely to penetrate skin.
Although rare, this ingredient can cause contact dermatitis.
Due to regulatory loopholes, you'll be able to find this chemical UV filter in "100% mineral" sunscreens.
Learn more about Polyester-8Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
