Essence
Sunscreen
British United Kingdom
British United Kingdom

What's inside

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Show highlights for:

Butyloctyl Salicylate

Skin Conditioning
Non-Reef-Safe Icon

Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate

UV Filter
Chemical UV Filter Icon

Dimethicone

Emollient
1 / 0 Silicon IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Cyclopentasiloxane

Emollient
Silicon Icon

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Propylene Glycol

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate

UV Absorber
0 / 0 UV Protection IconChemical UV Filter IconMay cause irritation IconNon-Reef-Safe Icon

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane

UV Absorber
UV Protection IconChemical UV Filter Icon

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Emulsion Stabilising

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Octocrylene

UV Absorber
UV Protection IconChemical UV Filter IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay cause irritation IconNon-Reef-Safe Icon

Niacinamide

Smoothing
Niacinamide IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Acrylates Copolymer

Gossypium Herbaceum Callus Culture

Skin Conditioning

Allantoin

Skin Conditioning
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Emulsifying
Oil IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Acetyl Glucosamine

Skin Conditioning
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Disodium EDTA

Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil

Perfuming
Oil IconFragrance IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Alcohol

Antimicrobial
Alcohol IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Titanium Dioxide

Cosmetic Colorant
0 / 0 UV Protection IconMineral UV Filter IconNon-Reef-Safe Icon

Phospholipids

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Broussonetia Kazinoki Root Extract

Skin Conditioning

Xanthan Gum

Emulsifying

Citrus Aurantifolia Oil

Cleansing
Oil IconEssential Oil IconFragrance Icon

Orange Roughy Oil

Skin Conditioning
Oil Icon

Lecithin

Emollient
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Morus Alba Bark Extract

Skin Conditioning

Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract

Skin Conditioning

Centella Asiatica Extract

Cleansing
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Antimicrobial
Antioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Garcinia Mangostana Peel Extract

Skin Conditioning

Citric Acid

Buffering
AHA IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Tricholoma Matsutake Extract

Skin Conditioning

Arbutin

Antioxidant
Arbutin IconAntioxidant IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Hydrated Silica

Abrasive
Exfoliant Icon

Eucommia Ulmoides Bark Extract

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Bromelain

Skin Conditioning
Good for Skin Texture Icon

Galactoarabinan

Helps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Glucose

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Aluminum Hydroxide

Emollient

Hydrolyzed Pea Protein

Emollient

Tocopheryl Acetate

Antioxidant
0 / 0 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Sodium Chloride

Masking

Methicone

Emollient
Silicon Icon

Glutathione

Helps brighten skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Gluconolactone

Skin Conditioning
PHA IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Skin Texture Icon

Linoleic Acid

Cleansing
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Barrier Repair IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Linolenic Acid

Cleansing
Fragrance IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Dark Spots IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Sodium Benzoate

Masking
Preservative Icon

Sodium Succinate

Buffering

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Antioxidant
2 / 0 Vitamin C IconAntioxidant IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Calcium Gluconate

Humectant

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Soothing

Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.

Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.

It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.

Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.

This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.

Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.

Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.

Learn more about Allantoin
Skin Conditioning

Gluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.

When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.

PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.

Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:

In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.

This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.

Learn more about Gluconolactone
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Glycerin (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 Glycerin
Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming

Xanthan 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

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