What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 7%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Eugenia Caryophyllus Bud Extract
Perfuming
Solidago Virgaurea Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Inulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSilica
Abrasive
Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 7%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Ectoin, Eugenia Caryophyllus Bud Extract, Solidago Virgaurea Extract, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Silica, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 9%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 9%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Dimethicone Crosspolymer-3
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Betaine
Humectant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 9%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%, Octocrylene 9%, Water, Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Isododecane, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes, Bisabolol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer-3, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Betaine, Polyglutamic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololAlso known as Avobenzone, this ingredient is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-A range.
Avobenzone is globally approved and is the most commonly used UV-A filter in the world.
Studies have found that avobenzone becomes ineffective when exposed to UV light (it is not photostable; meaning that it breaks down in sunlight). Because of this, formulations that include avobenzone will usually contain stabilizers such as octocrylene.
However, some modern formulations (looking at you, EU!) are able to stabilize avobenzone by coating the molecules.
Avobenzone does not protect against the UV-B range, so it's important to check that the sunscreen you're using contains other UV filters that do!
The highest concentration of avobenzone permitted is 3% in the US, and 5% in the EU.
Learn more about Butyl MethoxydibenzoylmethaneEthylhexyl Salicylate is an organic compound used to block UV rays. It primarily absorbs UVB rays but offers a small amount of UVA protection as well.
Commonly found in sunscreens, Ethylhexyl Salicylate is created from salicylic acid and 2-ethylhexanol. You might know salicylic acid as the effective acne fighter ingredient and BHA.
The ethylhexanol in this ingredient is a fatty alcohol and helps hydrate your skin, similar to oils. It is an emollient, which means it traps moisture into the skin.
According to manufacturers, Ethylhexyl Salicylate absorbs UV wavelength of 295-315 nm, with a peak absorption at 307-310 nm. UVA rays are linked to long term skin damage, such as hyperpigmentation. UVB rays emit more energy and are capable of damaging our DNA. UVB rays cause sunburn.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl SalicylateGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinHomosalate is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-B range (280nm - 320 nm), with a peak protection at 306 nm. It is internationally approved for use in sunscreens.
Homosalate is not photo-stable, meaning it's strength as a UV filter degrades over time with exposure to the sun. Because of this, it's often used in combination with other chemical sunscreen filters as avobenzone (which protects from the UV-A range). Homosalate also helps act as a solvent for harder-to-dissolve UV filters.
(Part of the reason that sunscreens need to be frequently re-applied is due to the photo instability of many chemical sunscreen filters)
Currently, homosalate is approved in concentrations up to 10% in the EU and 15% in the US. The FDA is currently doing further research on the effects of homosalate, and it is possible that these approved concentrations will change in the future.
Learn more about HomosalatePentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.
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
