Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion SPF 50+ Versus Banila Co Hello Sunny Essence Sun Stick SPF 50+
This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging.
This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 10%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 5%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningDiisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientTalc
Abrasive
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Dimethicone
Emollient
PEG/PPG-9/2 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningSd Alcohol 40-B
Astringent
Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Dextrin Palmitate
Emulsifying
Sucrose Tetrastearate Triacetate
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientPPG-3 Dipivalate
Skin ConditioningTrimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningSaxifraga Sarmentosa Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPPG-17
Skin ConditioningDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingCalcium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantIsostearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Trisodium EDTA
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientVinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
PEG-6
HumectantBHT
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Syzygium Jambos Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPolysilicone-2
Methylparaben
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Iron Oxides
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.3%, Homosalate 10%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 5%, Water, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Talc, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, PEG/PPG-9/2 Dimethyl Ether, Sd Alcohol 40-B, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Triethylhexanoin, Glycerin, Dextrin Palmitate, Sucrose Tetrastearate Triacetate, Isododecane, PPG-3 Dipivalate, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Silica, Sodium Chloride, PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether, Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, PPG-17, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Calcium Stearate, Isostearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Trisodium EDTA, Alcohol, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, PEG-6, BHT, Tocopherol, Butylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, Syzygium Jambos Leaf Extract, Polysilicone-2, Methylparaben, Parfum, Iron Oxides
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Vinyldimethicone
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Silica
Abrasive
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ozokerite
Emulsion StabilisingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Lauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientCopaifera Officinalis Resin
MaskingArtemisia Absinthium Extract
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Jasminum Officinale Oil
Masking
Myrtus Communis Oil
Masking
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Antioxidant
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningVanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ferula Galbaniflua Resin Oil
Antimicrobial
Rose Flower Oil
Masking
Betula Alba Juice
AstringentMentha Rotundifolia Leaf Extract
TonicTocopherol
Antioxidant
Citrus Nobilis Fruit Extract
MaskingBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentPropanediol
Solvent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Hypnea Musciformis Extract
Skin ProtectingEcklonia Cava Extract
Skin ConditioningCodium Tomentosum Extract
Skin ProtectingGelidium Cartilagineum Extract
Skin ProtectingAgarum Cribrosum Extract
Skin ConditioningEnteromorpha Compressa Extract
Skin ProtectingLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Dunaliella Salina Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Cloustoni Extract
Skin ProtectingSargassum Fulvellum Extract
Skin ConditioningSargassum Muticum Extract
Skin ProtectingUndaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningPorphyra Yezoensis Extract
Skin ConditioningFucus Vesiculosus Extract
Emollient
Laminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingSpirulina Platensis Extract
Skin ProtectingJania Rubens Extract
Skin ConditioningCladosiphon Okamuranus Extract
Skin ConditioningEuglena Gracilis Extract
Skin ConditioningMacrocystis Pyrifera Protein
Skin ConditioningMacrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ulva Lactuca Extract
Skin ConditioningCodium Fragile Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorella Minutissima Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorella Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Hizikia Fusiforme Extract
Skin ConditioningSalicornia Herbacea Extract
Skin ConditioningPlankton Extract
Skin ConditioningPikea Robusta Extract
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Enteromorpha Compressa
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Ulva Lactuca Extract
Skin ConditioningHaematococcus Pluvialis Extract
Antioxidant
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Polyethylene, Isopropyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, Vinyldimethicone, Octocrylene, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Silica, Dicaprylyl Ether, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ozokerite, Bisabolol, Lauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Diisostearyl Malate, Titanium Dioxide, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Copaifera Officinalis Resin, Artemisia Absinthium Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Jasminum Officinale Oil, Myrtus Communis Oil, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Ferula Galbaniflua Resin Oil, Rose Flower Oil, Betula Alba Juice, Mentha Rotundifolia Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Citrus Nobilis Fruit Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Propanediol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Ecklonia Cava Extract, Codium Tomentosum Extract, Gelidium Cartilagineum Extract, Agarum Cribrosum Extract, Enteromorpha Compressa Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Laminaria Cloustoni Extract, Sargassum Fulvellum Extract, Sargassum Muticum Extract, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Porphyra Yezoensis Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Spirulina Platensis Extract, Jania Rubens Extract, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, Euglena Gracilis Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera Protein, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Ulva Lactuca Extract, Codium Fragile Extract, Chlorella Minutissima Extract, Chlorella Ferment, Hizikia Fusiforme Extract, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Plankton Extract, Pikea Robusta Extract, Hydrolyzed Enteromorpha Compressa, Hydrolyzed Ulva Lactuca Extract, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol, Citral, Geraniol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.
Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.
Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.
In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.
There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.
Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.
A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.
The quality of the extract matters a lot here:
Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.
Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).
Learn more about Camellia Sinensis Leaf ExtractDimethicone 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 SalicylateThis 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.
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 OctocryleneSilica, 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 SilicaTocopherol 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 Tocopherol
