What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dimethicone
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Tetrasodium Iminodisuccinate
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycine Soja Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Octocrylene, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Isopropyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Ubiquinone, Sodium Polyacrylate, Paraffinum Liquidum, Alcohol, Tetrasodium Iminodisuccinate, Trideceth-6, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Urea
Buffering
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Arginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Chondrus Crispus
Masking
Glycine Soja Germ Extract
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
C18-36 Acid Triglyceride
EmollientSodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
BHT
Antioxidant
Trisodium EDTA
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Urea, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Octocrylene, Sodium Lactate, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Arginine Hcl, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chondrus Crispus, Glycine Soja Germ Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, C18-36 Acid Triglyceride, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Sodium Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, BHT, Trisodium EDTA, Lactic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
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 MethoxydibenzoylmethaneThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholDimethicone 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 DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinOctocrylene 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 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.
Sodium 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
