What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV FilterEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDibutyl Adipate
EmollientPhenoxyethyl Caprylate
Canola Oil
EmollientBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
EmollientPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantSilica
AbrasiveMethylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV FilterHydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientTris-Biphenyl Triazine
UV AbsorberVp/Acrylates/Lauryl Methacrylate Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Decyl Glucoside
CleansingHydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
EmollientXylitylglucoside
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAnhydroxylitol
HumectantEDTA
Benzoic Acid
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium Phosphate
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningXylitol
HumectantGlucose
HumectantDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeWater, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dibutyl Adipate, Phenoxyethyl Caprylate, Canola Oil, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Glycerin, Silica, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Tris-Biphenyl Triazine, Vp/Acrylates/Lauryl Methacrylate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Decyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Xylitylglucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Anhydroxylitol, EDTA, Benzoic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Disodium Phosphate, Pentylene Glycol, Xylitol, Glucose, Dehydroacetic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV FilterDibutyl Adipate
EmollientDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberGlycerin
HumectantPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientSilica
AbrasivePhenoxyethyl Caprylate
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeVp/Acrylates/Lauryl Methacrylate Copolymer
Tris-Biphenyl Triazine
UV AbsorberGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSodium Olivoyl Glutamate
CleansingCanola Oil
EmollientAcrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Benzoic Acid
MaskingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingSodium Phytate
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativePentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeButylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium Phosphate
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Dibutyl Adipate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Glycerin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Silica, Phenoxyethyl Caprylate, Phenoxyethanol, Vp/Acrylates/Lauryl Methacrylate Copolymer, Tris-Biphenyl Triazine, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Olivoyl Glutamate, Canola Oil, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Benzoic Acid, Decyl Glucoside, Acacia Senegal Gum, Sodium Phytate, Caprylyl Glycol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Butylene Glycol, Disodium Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Citric Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
We don't have a description for Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer yet.
Benzoic Acid is used to preserve and adjust the pH of products.
The antimicrobial property of Benzoic Acid helps elongate a product's shelf life. Its main role is to reduce fungi growth and is not found to be effective at fighting bacteria. Therefore Benzoic Acid is always added along with other preservatives.
In its pure form, Benzoic Acid looks like a white crystalline solid. It has slight solubility in water.
The name of Benzoic Acid comes from gum benzoin, which used to be the sole source of deriving this ingredient. Benzoic Acid is the most simple aromatic carboxylic acid.
Benzoic Acid is naturally occuring in strawberries, mustard, cinnamon, and cloves. It has a slight scent but is not considered to be a fragrance.
Learn more about Benzoic AcidYou might know this ingredient as Tinosorb S or Bemotrizinol. It is a UV filter that covers both UVA and UVB rays.
This ingredient has two peak UV absorption peaks ( 310 and 340 nm) and is able to absorb both UV-A and UV-B rays. This ingredient works by preventing UV rays from reaching and damaging your skin.
On top of that - it is highly photostable and helps prevent the photodegration of other sunscreen ingredients such as avobenzone.
Tinosorb S is allowed in the EU, Australia, Asia, Canada, and recently approved for use by the US in mid-2026.
Fun fact: Tinosorb S is the most effective UV absorber at maximum concentration (measured by SPF) permitted in the EU.
This ingredient is oil-soluble, so your oil-cleansers will take this right off at night.
Learn more about Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl TriazineButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCanola Oil is a plant-oil and low-erucic-acid variety of rapeseed. Like other seed oils, it functions as an emollient that softens skin and slows water loss.
Its fatty acid profile is mostly linoleic acid (55-65%) with some oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids. There are also some small amounts of vitamin E and plant sterols.
The sterol content is pretty interesting:
In a controlled human study, a single application of canola oil and especially its sterol-enriched fraction reduced visible irritation, redness, and water loss caused by SLS. Plain canola oil and most other tested oils did little on healthy, un-irritated skin.
It's pretty much just a calm, moisturizing oil that helps with soothing if your skin is already irritated.
Since canola oil is made up of C18 fatty acids, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast feeds on chain lengths C11-24.
Fun fact: Canadian growers bred the low-erucic variety in the 1970's, and the name stands for "Canadian oil, Low Acid").
Learn more about Canola OilCaprylyl 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 or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDecyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is not within the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosideDehydroacetic Acid is a synthetic preservative that keeps your products safe from microbes.
As an organic acid, it penetrates microbial cell walls and disrupts cellular metabolism. This makes it effective against bacteria, yeast, and mold.
It is effective at low concentrations (<0.6%). Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-photosensitizing.
Learn more about Dehydroacetic AcidDibutyl Adipate is an emollient and solvent. It is created from butyl alcohol and adipic acid.
As a solvent, Dibutyl Adipate helps mix and disperse ingredients evenly.
Dibutyl Adipate is soluble in water and organic solvents. It does not absorb UV rays.
Learn more about Dibutyl AdipateDiethylamino 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 BenzoateDisodium Phosphate is a water-soluble powder used as a pH adjuster and mild chelating agent. It basically holds a specific pH and binds stray metal ions so your product stays stable.
This ingredient is usually used at very low levels and concentrations range from 0.000054% - 2.9%. The CIR Expert Panel states this ingredient to be non-irritating at current use levels.
Ethylhexyl 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 TriazoneEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
We don't have a description for Phenoxyethyl Caprylate yet.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is the potassium salt of a mixture. This mixture consists of the esters from phosphoricacid and cetyl alcohol.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier and cleansing agent. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
As a cleansing agent, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate helps gather oils, dirts, and pollutants from your skin. This makes it easier to rinse them away with water.
Learn more about Potassium Cetyl PhosphateSilica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaTinosorb A2B is a UV-B and UV-A sunscreen filter (290 - 340 nm). This ingredient is photo-stable and water-soluble.
According to studies done by the manufacturer, it is the most effective UVB and UV-A 2 sunscreen filter to date.
It is mostly effective at protecting in the UV-A 2 (315-340 nm) range but has a boosting effect in the UV-A 1 (340 - 400 nm) range.
This ingredient is currently available in the EU and Asia, but is awaiting approval in the US and Canada.
Learn more about Tris-Biphenyl TriazineWe don't have a description for Vp/Acrylates/Lauryl Methacrylate Copolymer yet.
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