What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Acrylates Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingMethylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningPropylparaben
Preservative
Silica
Abrasive
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPrunus Domestica Fruit Extract
MoisturisingHydrolyzed Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract
Abrasive
Water, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Titanium Dioxide, Niacinamide, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Acrylates Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Methylparaben, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Propylparaben, Silica, Tocopherol, Sodium Citrate, Prunus Domestica Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract
Zinc Oxide 9%
Cosmetic Colorant
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Oleth-3 Phosphate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyisobutene
Polyether-1
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Zinc Oxide 9%, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%, Water, Isopropyl Palmitate, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyisobutene, Polyether-1, Butylene Glycol, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citric Acid, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCetearyl 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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate is an organic compound that provides UVB protection. It often goes by the more common name of octinoxate. It is created from methoxycinnamic acid and 2-ethylhexanol.
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate absorbs UVB rays with wavelengths between 280-320 nm. UV absorbers protect your skin by using chemical reactions to convert UV rays into heat and energy.
UVB (290-320 nm) rays emit more energy than UVA rays. They are capable of damaging DNA, causing sunburns and are thought to be linked to skin cancer.
The state of Hawaii has banned sunscreens containing octinoxate due to its potential impact on coral reefs. More research is needed to bridge gaps in this research. The European Union allows higher levels of octinoxate in sunscreens than the US and Australia.
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate is oil soluble. It is not stable and may lose efficacy when exposed to sunlight.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl MethoxycinnamatePhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
