What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Ergothioneine
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingHydrochloric Acid
BufferingLecithin
Emollient
Micrococcus Lysate
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Plankton Extract
Skin ConditioningPolysilicone-11
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Resveratrol Dimethyl Ether
Antioxidant
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Cholate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingThermus Thermophillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Titanium Dioxide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Alcohol, Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, BHT, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Citric Acid, Decyl Glucoside, Dimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Ergothioneine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, Glyceryl Oleate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hexylene Glycol, Hydrochloric Acid, Lecithin, Micrococcus Lysate, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Plankton Extract, Polysilicone-11, Polysorbate 20, Potassium Sorbate, Resveratrol Dimethyl Ether, Silica, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Cholate, Sodium Hydroxide, Thermus Thermophillus Ferment, Tocopherol
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Ethyl Linoleate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycol Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingMadecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Oleyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyacrylamide
PPG-3 Myristyl Ether
EmollientSodium Dihydroxycetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Zinc Oxide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Asiatic Acid, Asiaticoside, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Ethyl Linoleate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycol Stearate Se, Hexylene Glycol, Laureth-7, Madecassic Acid, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Oleyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylamide, PPG-3 Myristyl Ether, Sodium Dihydroxycetyl Phosphate, Tocopherol, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Water
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolThis ingredient is also known as Octinoxate and is one of the oldest and most widely used chemical UV filters in skincare.
It has a simple job: soap up UVB radiation (290-320 nm), the wavelengths responsible for sunburn and a big chunk of long-term sun damage.
In formulas, it's always paired with a separate UVA filter because octinoxate solely protects skin from UVB.
Because it's an oil-soluble liquid, it's easy to blend into the oil phase of lotions/creams and gives a cosmetically elegant feel.
The one quirk about formulating this ingredient is photostability; the molecule slowly changes shape into a less effective version when sunlight hits it. So the longer you're in the sun, the weaker its protection gets. The drop can be more than 30% in some formulas.
It also doesn't play nice with Avobenzone (the common UVA filter) since avobenzone destabilizes octinoxate and the two degrade each other. But don't worry: brands have solved this issue by adding photostabilizers like Tinosorb S to prevent degradation and keep SPF stable under heavy UV exposure.
The maximum allowed level is 10% in the EU and Australia, 7.5% in the US and Canada, and 20% in Japan.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics up to 10%.
One last thing worth knowing for context:
Octinoxate has been the subject of ongoing review in Europe where the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety's (SCCS) 2025 final opinion is that this ingredient is an endocrine-active substance.
Lab and animal studies suggest it can act a bit like a hormone in the body (mildly mimicking estrogen and slightly blocking male hormones). It's important to know this hasn't really been shown to happen in everyday human use.
This ingredient is also banned in Hawaii over coral reef concerns.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl MethoxycinnamateGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
