Reef Safe Zinc Face Sunscreen SPF 50 Versus IMAGE skincare Prevention+ Daily Ultimate Protection Moisturizer SPF 50
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zinc Oxide 25%
Cosmetic Colorant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningEuphorbia Cerifera Wax
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingIsostearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Calendula Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Coriandrum Sativum Oil
Masking
Ahnfeltia Plicata Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Grandis Seed Extract
Astringent
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantZinc Oxide 25%, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Water, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Isostearic Acid, Glycerin, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Maltodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Calendula Officinalis Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bisabolol, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Sodium Ascorbate, Tocopherol, Coriandrum Sativum Oil, Ahnfeltia Plicata Extract, Citrus Grandis Seed Extract, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Thermus Thermophillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylate-13
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyisobutene
Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Lecithin
Emollient
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCetearyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Marrubium Vulgare Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-2 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Melanin
Skin ProtectingErythritol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Hydrolyzed Pea Protein
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Barosma Betulina Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Homarine Hcl
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Sodium Succinate
BufferingMalus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningArabidopsis Thaliana Extract
Antioxidant
Micrococcus Lysate
Skin ConditioningPlankton Extract
Skin ConditioningErgothioneine
Antioxidant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Thermus Thermophillus Ferment, Polyacrylate-13, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyisobutene, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Lecithin, Isostearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Cetearyl Dimethicone, Marrubium Vulgare Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Polysorbate 20, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Limonene, Sorbitan Isostearate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Melanin, Erythritol, Citric Acid, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Glucose, Potassium Sorbate, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Tocopherol, PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Barosma Betulina Leaf Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Homarine Hcl, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Succinate, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract, Micrococcus Lysate, Plankton Extract, Ergothioneine
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilIsostearic acid is a saturated fatty acid. Its structure makes it a great surfactant.
Surfactants help decrease the surface tension between two liquids. This property also makes it an effective emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent waters and oils from separating in a product.
Isostearic Acid is created from oleic acid.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Isostearic AcidThis ingredient is an emulsifier. It is created from Polyglycerin-3 and Ricinoleic Acid.
As an emulsifier, it prevents waters and oils from separating. According to a manufacturer this ingredient is fully biodegradable.
This ingredient may not be safe for Malassezia folliculitis due to its Ricinoleic Acid base. Ricinoleic Acid is a fatty acid derived from castor oil.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-3 PolyricinoleatePolyhydroxystearic Acid is a soft wax made from castor oil.
It is is a texture thickener, emulsifier, and film-former. Emulsifiers prevent ingredients from separating, such as oils and waters.
Polyhydroxystearic Acid may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polyhydroxystearic AcidChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
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
