What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Glycerin
Humectant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV Absorber
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin Conditioning
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingAspartic Acid
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingTetrasodium Iminodisuccinate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Fumaric Acid
BufferingMaleic Acid
BufferingMalic Acid
Buffering
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Panthenol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Glyceryl Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Aspartic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Aminomethyl Propanol, Tetrasodium Iminodisuccinate, Citric Acid, Fumaric Acid, Maleic Acid, Malic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientMethylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Glycerin
Humectant
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV Absorber
Diisopropyl Adipate
EmollientButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Cetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingPolyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin Conditioning
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Glycerin Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningBenzoic Acid
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Dibehenate
Emollient
Oxothiazolidine
Skin ProtectingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Glucoside
EmollientTribehenin
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Glycerin, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Diisopropyl Adipate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Silica, Lauryl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Decyl Glucoside, C10-18 Triglycerides, Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Glycerin Crosspolymer, Benzoic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Oxothiazolidine, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Tribehenin, Xanthan Gum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 BenzoateCaprylyl 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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDiethylhexyl Butamido Triazone is a photostable UV absorber. It protects in both the UVB and UVA II range.
The great thing about this ingredient is that it is ultra-photostable at low concentrations.
It is also pretty water-resistant and is highly oil-soluble (so your oil cleanser will get it off right away).
This ingredient is currently available in Europe and Japan, but not in the US.
Learn more about Diethylhexyl Butamido TriazoneGlycerin (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 GlycerinPolyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate isn't fungal acne safe.
Potassium 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
