Q + A Ginger Root Daily Moisturizer Versus La Roche-Posay Toleriane Sensitive UV Face Cream SPF 30 Face Moisturizer
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Zingiber Officinale Root Oil
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Coconut Alcohol
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Limonene
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Allantoin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Coco-Glucoside, Coconut Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Sucrose Stearate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citric Acid, Limonene, Citral, Geraniol, Citronellol
Octocrylene 7%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 5%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Dimethicone
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCapryloyl Glycine
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Octocrylene 7%, Homosalate 5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Water, Glycerin, Silica, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Stearic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Capryloyl Glycine, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Ceramide NP, Myristic 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.
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 AllantoinCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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 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
