What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.8%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 9.8%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.9%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 9.5%
UV Absorber
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Cleansing
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Reticulata Leaf Oil
Masking
Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed
Perfuming
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientDiisopropyl Adipate
EmollientEthyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Astringent
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tridecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientVa/Butyl Maleate/Isobornyl Acrylate Copolymer
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.8%, Homosalate 9.8%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.9%, Octocrylene 9.5%, Alcohol Denat., Butyloctyl Salicylate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Citrus Reticulata Leaf Oil, Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Diisopropyl Adipate, Ethyl Ferulate, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tridecyl Neopentanoate, Va/Butyl Maleate/Isobornyl Acrylate Copolymer, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.9%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 9.8%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.9%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 9.5%
UV Absorber
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientDiethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientDiisooctyl Succinate
Emollient
Ethyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
Isododecane
EmollientLauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Astringent
Nylon-12
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Silica Caprylyl Silylate
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.9%, Homosalate 9.8%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.9%, Octocrylene 9.5%, Alcohol Denat., Bisabolol, Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Diheptyl Succinate, Diisooctyl Succinate, Ethyl Ferulate, Isododecane, Lauroyl Lysine, Mentha Piperita Oil, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Nylon-12, Pvp, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Silica Caprylyl Silylate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Also 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 MethoxydibenzoylmethaneButyloctyl Salicylate is a chemical UV filter structurally similar to octisalate. It is a photostabilizer, SPF booster, emollient and solvent. This ingredient helps evenly spread out ingredients.
According to a manufacturer, it is suitable for pairing with micro Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, and pigments.
Photostabilizers help stabilize UV-filters and prevents them from degrading quickly.
Learn more about Butyloctyl SalicylateCaprylic/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 TriglycerideDicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.
As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Carbonate creates a film on the skin. This film traps moisture in, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
Ethyl ferulate is an antioxidant derived from ferulic acid and ethyl alcohol. You'll most likely see this ingredient in sunscreens.
One study from 2014 found a concentration of 10% showed a similar SPF to Benzimidazole. Though this is considered a chemical UV filter, this ingredient is not listed as so. This is due to regulatory loopholes. You'll likely find this ingredient in "100% mineral" sunscreens.
This ingredient is typically found in concentrations between 0.5-1%. It is usually created synthetically or from rice bran oil.
Learn more about Ethyl FerulateEthylhexyl 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 SalicylateHomosalate 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 HomosalateThis essential oil is steam-distilled from peppermint leaves, also known as peppermint oil. It's mainly used for scent in skincare but also provides that signature "cooling" sensation.
Peppermint oil is a "feels amazing" ingredient until it doesn't.
At higher doses or for those with sensitive skin, methol-type cooling can quickly turn into burning/irritation. It can also trigger irritant dermatitis or even allergic contact dermatitis. In a large patch-test dataset, peppermint oil had a low but positive rate for this.
In cosmetics, Cosmetic Safety Reviews (CIR) concludes that peppermint oil is safe to use when formulated to be non-sensitizing with some restrictions; for instance, pulegone, a naturally occurring component of peppermint oil, should not exceed 1%.
Since peppermint oil contains fragrance allergens such as limonene, linalool, and menthol, it can be sensitizing for those with rosacea, eczema, a broken skin barrier, or just sensitive skin in general.
In Japan, this ingredient is known as Hakka Yu.
Learn more about Mentha Piperita OilThis ingredient is also called spearmint oil. It contains carvone (41-79%), limonene (10-22%), and small amounts of other monoterpenes depending on where it's grown.
In cosmetics, this ingredient mostly acts as a fragrancing/masking ingredient and mild astringent.
Lab studies show carvone to have antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, but it is a recognized fragrance allergen. Carvone is a mild skin sensitizer while limonene is a well-known one.
In a 21-year retrospective from a Swedish patch test clinic, 3.5% of patients tested positive for sensitive towards carvone.
Learn more about Mentha Viridis Leaf OilOctocrylene protects skin from sun damage. It absorbs UV-B with peak absorption of 304 nm. It is a common sunscreen ingredient and often paired with avobenzone, a UVA filter. This is because octocrylene stabilizes other sunscreen ingredients by protecting them from degradation when exposed to sunlight. Octocrylene is a photostable ingredient and loses about 10% of SPF in 95 minutes.
Octocrylene also acts as an emollient, meaning it helps skin retain moisture and softens skin. It is oil-soluble and hydrophobic, enhancing water-resistant properties in a product.
Those who are using ketoprofen, a topical anti-inflammatory drug, may experience an allergic reaction when using octocrylene. It is best to speak with a healthcare professional about using sunscreens with octocrylene.
The EU allows a maximum of these concentrations:
Learn more about Octocrylene
