What's inside

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Show highlights for:

Dimethicone

Emollient
1 / 0 Silicon IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Ceresin

Emulsion Stabilising
0 / 0

Octocrylene

UV Absorber
UV Protection IconChemical UV Filter IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay cause irritation IconNon-Reef-Safe Icon

Silica

Abrasive
Exfoliant IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores Icon

Triethylhexanoin

Masking

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate

UV Absorber
0 / 0 UV Protection IconChemical UV Filter IconMay cause irritation IconNon-Reef-Safe Icon

Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate

UV Filter
Chemical UV Filter Icon

Ozokerite

Emulsion Stabilising

Phenyl Trimethicone

Skin Conditioning
Silicon Icon

Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate

Emollient

Ethylhexyl Salicylate

UV Absorber
0 / 0 UV Protection IconChemical UV Filter IconNon-Reef-Safe Icon

Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer

Silicon IconGood for Oily Skin Icon

Euphorbia Cerifera Cera

Astringent
1 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine

Skin Conditioning
UV Protection IconChemical UV Filter Icon

Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer

Good for Oily Skin Icon

Microcrystalline Wax

Emulsion Stabilising

Sorbitan Caprylate

Emulsifying

Dipropylene Glycol

Humectant

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Water

Skin Conditioning

Sorbitan Sesquioleate

Emulsifying
0-1 / 0 Bad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Caprylyl Glycol

Emollient
Fatty Alcohol Icon

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Emulsifying
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate

Skin Conditioning
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Extract

Emollient

Adenosine

Skin Conditioning
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract

Skin Conditioning

Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract

Skin Conditioning

Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract

Masking
May worsen Eczema Icon

Salix Alba Bark Extract

Astringent
Helps reduce irritation IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract

Skin Conditioning

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Astringent
Helps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Portulaca Oleracea Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract

Emollient
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract

Astringent

Citrus Nobilis Fruit Extract

Masking

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Antimicrobial
Antioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Propanediol

Solvent
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Ectoin

Skin Conditioning
Ectoin IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil

Emollient
Oil IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Barrier Repair IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil

Skin Conditioning
3 / 2 Oil IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Arctium Lappa Seed Oil

Emollient
Oil Icon

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Masking
Oil IconEssential Oil IconFragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Citrus Limon Peel Oil

Masking
Oil IconEssential Oil IconFragrance IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil

Masking
Oil Icon

Reviews

3.00
Overall rating
5
4
3
2
1
What people say
Irritating 50% Oily 50%
3.60
Overall rating
5
4
3
2
1
What people say
Works Well 67% Broke Me Out 33% Expensive 33%

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

UV Absorber, UV Filter

Ethylhexyl 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 Salicylate

This ingredient comes as a powder made up of small, porous, microbeads. It is used to add a silky feel to products and also helps absorb oil.

UV Absorber, UV Filter

Octocrylene 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 Octocrylene
Abrasive, Absorbent

Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.

Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.

The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.

It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.

In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.

Learn more about Silica
Masking, Skin Conditioning

Triethylhexanoin is created from glycerin and 2-ethylhexanoic acid. It is a solvent and emollient.

As a solvent, Triethylhexanoin helps dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.

It is also an emollient and helps condition the skin.

Learn more about Triethylhexanoin

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