What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Homosalate 5%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 5%
UV Absorber
Zinc Oxide 10.8%
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Isododecane
EmollientTrimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
PPG-24-Glycereth-24
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Magnesium Sulfate
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingMica
Cosmetic ColorantPolyester-28
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Propylene Carbonate
SolventSilica
Abrasive
Simethicone
Emollient
Tetrasodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantHomosalate 5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 5%, Zinc Oxide 10.8%, Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Squalane, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Isododecane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, PPG-24-Glycereth-24, Glycerin, Magnesium Sulfate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Mica, Polyester-28, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Propylene Carbonate, Silica, Simethicone, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77491, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Quaternium-80
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Parfum
Masking
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Disodium EDTA, Isopropyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Propylene Glycol, Quaternium-80, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Parfum, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, Ethylparaben, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxanePhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolWater. 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 Water
