What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 10%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 2.6%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingThermus Thermophillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Sd Alcohol 40-B
Astringent
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Oligopeptide-24
Skin Conditioning
Silybin
Skin ConditioningCarnosine
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyacrylate-15
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Lecithin
Emollient
Polygonum Aviculare Extract
EmollientPolyacrylate-17
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingC11-15 Pareth-40
CleansingC11-15 Pareth-7
EmulsifyingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate
CleansingSodium Laureth-12 Sulfate
Cleansing
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 10%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 2.6%, Water, Caprylyl Methicone, Dipropylene Glycol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Thermus Thermophillus Ferment, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Sd Alcohol 40-B, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Oligopeptide-24, Silybin, Carnosine, Adenosine, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Isohexadecane, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyacrylate-15, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Lecithin, Polygonum Aviculare Extract, Polyacrylate-17, Polysorbate 80, Potassium Sorbate, Potassium Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, C11-15 Pareth-40, C11-15 Pareth-7, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Parfum, Sorbitan Oleate, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Laureth-12 Sulfate
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 2.75%
UV Absorber
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButylene Glycol
Humectant
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPolyglyceryl-2 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate
Emulsifying
Tetrasodium EDTA
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningStearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningCarnosine
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Prunus Yedoensis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCyclodextrin
AbsorbentButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 2.75%, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate, Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Carnosine, Lecithin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Prunus Yedoensis Leaf Extract, Cyclodextrin
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 a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-A range.
Avobenzone is globally approved and is the most commonly used UV-A filter in the world.
Studies have found that avobenzone becomes ineffective when exposed to UV light (it is not photostable; meaning that it breaks down in sunlight). Because of this, formulations that include avobenzone will usually contain stabilizers such as octocrylene.
However, some modern formulations (looking at you, EU!) are able to stabilize avobenzone by coating the molecules.
Avobenzone does not protect against the UV-B range, so it's important to check that the sunscreen you're using contains other UV filters that do!
The highest concentration of avobenzone permitted is 3% in the US, and 5% in the EU.
Learn more about Butyl MethoxydibenzoylmethaneCarnosine is a dipeptide made from two amino acids.
This ingredient helps:
Glycation is the process of sugars binding to and damaging proteins. Too much sugar in our skin can lead to damaged collagen, contributing to factors of aging.
Carnosine is water-soluble and is not able to travel deeper layers of skin. This leads to some doubt about whether it can boost collagen in skin, since collagen is located in the deeper layers of skin.
Fun fact: Carnosine can be naturally found in our muscles and brain.
Learn more about CarnosineDicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.
As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Carbonate creates a film on the skin. This film traps moisture in, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
Ethylhexyl Salicylate is an organic compound used to block UV rays. It primarily absorbs UVB rays but offers a small amount of UVA protection as well.
Commonly found in sunscreens, Ethylhexyl Salicylate is created from salicylic acid and 2-ethylhexanol. You might know salicylic acid as the effective acne fighter ingredient and BHA.
The ethylhexanol in this ingredient is a fatty alcohol and helps hydrate your skin, similar to oils. It is an emollient, which means it traps moisture into the skin.
According to manufacturers, Ethylhexyl Salicylate absorbs UV wavelength of 295-315 nm, with a peak absorption at 307-310 nm. UVA rays are linked to long term skin damage, such as hyperpigmentation. UVB rays emit more energy and are capable of damaging our DNA. UVB rays cause sunburn.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl SalicylateGlycerin (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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinOctocrylene protects skin from sun damage. It absorbs UV-B with peak absorption of 304 nm. It is a common sunscreen ingredient and often paired with avobenzone, a UVA filter. This is because octocrylene stabilizes other sunscreen ingredients by protecting them from degradation when exposed to sunlight. Octocrylene is a photostable ingredient and loses about 10% of SPF in 95 minutes.
Octocrylene also acts as an emollient, meaning it helps skin retain moisture and softens skin. It is oil-soluble and hydrophobic, enhancing water-resistant properties in a product.
Those who are using ketoprofen, a topical anti-inflammatory drug, may experience an allergic reaction when using octocrylene. It is best to speak with a healthcare professional about using sunscreens with octocrylene.
The EU allows a maximum of these concentrations:
Learn more about OctocrylenePhenoxyethanol 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.
