What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientMethylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Polysilicone-15
UV Filter
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Methylpropanediol
SolventGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polymethyl Methacrylate
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Tromethamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dibutyl Adipate, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Polysilicone-15, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Methylpropanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Polymethyl Methacrylate, PEG-100 Stearate, Decyl Glucoside, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Adenosine, Propylene Glycol, Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Water
Skin ConditioningGalactomyces Ferment Filtrate 10%
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Xylitol
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyisobutene
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingFructan
Skin ConditioningAnhydroxylitol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Water, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate 10%, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Niacinamide, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Behenyl Alcohol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Glucose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Xylitol, Xylitylglucoside, Ceramide NP, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyisobutene, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Fructan, Anhydroxylitol, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Hydrogenated Lecithin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
This ingredient is better known as bemotrizinol or Tinosorb S and is one of the best broad-spectrum UV filters in modern sunscreen.
It works by absorbing UV light across a whole range (280-400 nm) with peaks around 310 nm (UVB) and 340-345 nm (UVA). This means it covers UVB plus the deeper UVA wavelengths that drive photoaging and pigmentation.
Another pro?
It's exceptionally photostable, barely degrades in sunlight, and acts as a "bodyguard" for less stable filters.
That's why you'll see it paired with avobenzone or octinoxate; this team up ensures they keep working through sun exposure.
Safety reviews have been reassuring across the board. This ingredient shows low absorption through the skin, rarely irritates, and lab studies found it doesn't act like a hormone in the body (a concern that's been raised about some older sunscreen filters).
On maximum concentrations:
In 2026, the US F.D.A finally added it as an OTC sunscreen ingredient at concentrations up to 6% for adults / children 6 months and older
Learn more about Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl TriazineC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.
Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamideThis ingredient is also known as PMMA. It is a polymer microsphere, composed of tiny, perfectly spherical particles formed from repeating units.
In cosmetics, PMMA is mainly used to give a soft or blurring effect. The transparent particles are able to scatter light and help reduce the appearance of fine-lines and imperfections.
PMMA is also able to enhance the texture of products by add a smooth feel.
Learn more about Polymethyl MethacrylatePotassium Cetyl Phosphate is the potassium salt of a mixture. This mixture consists of the esters from phosphoricacid and cetyl alcohol.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier and cleansing agent. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
As a cleansing agent, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate helps gather oils, dirts, and pollutants from your skin. This makes it easier to rinse them away with water.
Learn more about Potassium Cetyl PhosphateWater. 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
