What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 2%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Dimethicone
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentPeucedanum Graveolens Extract
TonicSambucus Nigra Fruit Extract
AstringentAvena Sativa Bran Extract
Abrasive
Punica Granatum Extract
AstringentLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2%, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 2%, Water, Glycerin, Silica, Dimethicone, Tocopherol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Peucedanum Graveolens Extract, Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract, Avena Sativa Bran Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Titanium Dioxide, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Carbomer, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.7%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 4%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 6%
UV Absorber
Benzophenone-3 4.5%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
Cetyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSteareth-100
Gel FormingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Dimethicone
Emollient
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingPolyester-7
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientBisabolol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
Diethylhexyl 2,6-Naphthalate
EmollientMannan
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBHT
Antioxidant
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingSarcosine
Skin Conditioning
Cedrus Atlantica Bark Extract
Perfuming
Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract
Antimicrobial
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.7%, Homosalate 4%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%, Octocrylene 6%, Benzophenone-3 4.5%, Water, Silica, Cetyl Dimethicone, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Steareth-100, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Dimethicone, Steareth-2, Polyester-7, Chlorphenesin, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Bisabolol, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Diethylhexyl 2,6-Naphthalate, Mannan, Xanthan Gum, BHT, Capryloyl Glycine, Trideceth-6, Sarcosine, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Extract, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Reviews
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 MethoxydibenzoylmethaneDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeEthylhexyl 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 SalicylateOctocrylene is an oil-soluble organic UV filter that mainly absorbs UVB and short wave UVA II light.
Its real superpower is teamwork: octocrylene is remarkably photostable and is most famous for stabilizing avobenzone (the workhorse UVA filter).
This ingredient is commonly used to enhance both UVB and UVA protection due to its unique property in stabilizing avobenzone. It also pulls double duty by boosting water resistance and giving formulas a smooth, spreadable feel.
The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has deemed octocrylene to be safe as a UV-filter at concentrations up to 10% (capped at 9% in propellant sprays). The US also permits it up to 10%.
Two things worth knowing:
You'll usually see this ingredient used in concentrations between 2-10% (higher amounts when used as a stabilizer for avobenzone).
Learn more about OctocrylenePhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSilica, 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 SilicaWater. 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
