What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHomosalate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Dimethyl Paba
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientCetearyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingSteareth-21
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingCeteareth-12
EmulsifyingCetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Triethanolamine
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingOleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningWater, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Dimethyl Paba, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, Cetearyl Methicone, PEG-40 Stearate, Steareth-2, Steareth-21, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Zinc Oxide, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Ceteareth-12, Cetyl Palmitate, Betaine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Triethanolamine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Oleanolic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientIsodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientOctocrylene
UV Absorber
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientPhenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Homosalate
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Polyamide-5
Skin ConditioningPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Arginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium EDTA
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Isopropyl Palmitate, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Octocrylene, Alcohol Denat., Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Dibutyl Adipate, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Homosalate, Glycine, Polyamide-5, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Arginine Hcl, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Trisodium EDTA, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Dimethicone, Ethylhexylglycerin
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 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 GlycerinHomosalate is an oil-soluble organic UVB filter that has been a sunscreen staple for decades. Its job is to absorb UVB rays (~295-315 nm) and protect your skin against sunburn,
This is one of the more photostable organic UV filters; it holds up pretty well under UV and a 2022 quantum-chemistry study found it stays stable in sunlight.
It's actually so reliable that formulators often pair it with shakier ingredients like oxybenzone and avobenzone. Formulators also use it to help dissolve the other UV filters into the oil phase.
One thing to keep in mind: "stable" isn't the same as "strong". On its own, homosalate is actually a pretty weak UV filter so it's better off as a helpful team player that helps boost overall SPF protection.
The safety picture is a bit nuanced but not scary.
This ingredient has a long track record of being gentle and regulators agree it isn't an irritant; EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety found that homosalate is not considered a skin irritant and doesn't raise eye-irritation flags either.
There's talk about homosalate because your skin absorbs a little bit of it into your bloodstream. A 2020 FDA-backed study found homosalate showed up in people's blood levels at the level where the FDA decides to double check.
The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) also found small amounts in blood and breast milk. They estimated that about 5% of what you apply gets absorbed through the skin.
Due to the debate about whether it might mess with hormones, the SCCS recommended a maximum limit of 0.5% in most products of 7.3% in face creams/pump sprays.
One important thing to keep in mind: in the US, Homosalate is currently labeled "non-GRASE" by the FDA. This sounds alarming but really just means the FDA wants more data to confirm it's safe. It's not confidently saying this ingredient is harmful.
As of now, homosalate is still completely legal and widely used while that research gets done.
The current maximum limits are:
Learn more about HomosalateThis ingredient is more commonly known as Ensulizole, a chemical sunscreen ingredient.
Ensulizole mainly protects UV-B (290-340 nm) but offers a little UV-A (320-400 nm) protection. It is often paired with less photo-stable sunscreen ingredients due to its photo-stability.
Due to it being water-soluble, Ensulizole helps give sunscreens a light and non-oily texture.
Ensulizole is approved worldwide:
Learn more about Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic AcidPolymethylsilsesquioxane is a silicone used as a film forming agent.
When applied to the skin, this ingredient creates an invisible film on the surface. This film still allows oxygen to pass through, but prevents moisture from escaping. This can help condition and hydrate the skin. It also leaves a silky feel when applied.
Polymethylsilsesquioxane has not been shown to clog pores. It has been deemed safe to use up to 55%, but most cosmetics use much less.
If you have concerns about using this ingredient, we recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about PolymethylsilsesquioxaneSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
