What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Octocrylene 4%
UV AbsorberEthylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%
UV AbsorberHomosalate 5.5%
Skin ConditioningButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2%
UV AbsorberWater
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientOctyldodecanol
EmollientCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventHyaluronic Acid
HumectantPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Biosaccharide Gum-4
Skin ConditioningJasminum Sambac Leaf Cell Extract
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantDibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingDibutyl Ethylhexanoyl Glutamide
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingOctocrylene 4%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%, Homosalate 5.5%, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2%, Water, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Octyldodecanol, Caprylyl Methicone, Propanediol, Hyaluronic Acid, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Jasminum Sambac Leaf Cell Extract, Glycerin, Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide, Carbomer, Aminomethyl Propanol, Dibutyl Ethylhexanoyl Glutamide, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientSteareth-2
EmulsifyingEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientStyrene
PerfumingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningVinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer 2%
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberHomosalate 4%
Skin ConditioningOctocrylene 4%
UV AbsorberBenzophenone-3 2%
UV AbsorberHexylresorcinol
AntimicrobialSteareth-21
CleansingPeucedanum Graveolens Extract
TonicRubus Fruticosus Leaf Extract
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingStearyl Alcohol
EmollientPEG-8 Laurate
EmulsifyingAcrylates Copolymer
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Behenyl Alcohol
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientMaltodextrin
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLinseed Acid
CleansingDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Dodecylbenzenesulfonate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialSodium Carbonate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dimethicone, Steareth-2, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Styrene, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer 2%, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Homosalate 4%, Octocrylene 4%, Benzophenone-3 2%, Hexylresorcinol, Steareth-21, Peucedanum Graveolens Extract, Rubus Fruticosus Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sclerotium Gum, Stearyl Alcohol, PEG-8 Laurate, Acrylates Copolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Maltodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Linseed Acid, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerAlso 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 DimethiconeDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 (280-315 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 HomosalateOctocrylene is an oil-soluble organic UV filter that mainly absorbs UVB and short wave UVA II light.
Its real superpower is teamwork: octocrylene is remarkably photostable and is most famous for stabilizing avobenzone (the workhorse UVA filter).
This ingredient is commonly used to enhance both UVB and UVA protection due to its unique property in stabilizing avobenzone. It also pulls double duty by boosting water resistance and giving formulas a smooth, spreadable feel.
The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has deemed octocrylene to be safe as a UV-filter at concentrations up to 10% (capped at 9% in propellant sprays). The US also permits it up to 10%.
Two things worth knowing:
You'll usually see this ingredient used in concentrations between 2-10% (higher amounts when used as a stabilizer for avobenzone).
Learn more about OctocryleneParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumWater. 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