What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 8%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 5%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningTapioca Starch
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentPEG-100 Stearate
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 8%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4%, Octocrylene 5%, Water, Tapioca Starch, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethiconol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, PEG-100 Stearate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Arginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Synthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract
Antimicrobial
Pimpinella Anisum Fruit Extract
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingTrisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Dibutyl Adipate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Arginine Hcl, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Synthetic Beeswax, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Pimpinella Anisum Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Chloride, Trisodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 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.
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 Water
