What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
Isododecane
EmollientDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientIsopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Beheneth-25
CleansingDiethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV Absorber
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
CI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Parfum
Masking
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Silica, Isododecane, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Beheneth-25, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, CI 15850, Glycine Soja Oil, Lecithin, Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract, Glycerin, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Coco-Glucoside, Parfum, CI 77492
Water
Skin ConditioningTalc
Abrasive
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
BHT
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Water, Talc, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Octocrylene, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Dipropylene Glycol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Glycerin, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Coco-Glucoside, Tocopherol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Polysorbate 60, T-Butyl Alcohol, BHT, Sorbitan Isostearate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl 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 AlcoholCoco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideDicaprylyl 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.
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (DHHB) is a chemical UV-A absorber. It is formulated for high UVA protection (320-400 nm).
DHHB is well-liked for:
DHHB has been approved by the EU, Japan, Taiwan, and South America for use up to 10%. Unfortunately, it has not been approved for use in the US or Canada due to slow regulatory processes.
This ingredient is soluble in oils, fats, and lipids.
Learn more about Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl BenzoateEthylhexyl Triazone is a modern chemical sunscreen that protects from UV-B radiation.
It is the most effective of existing UV-B filters, as it provides the highest level of photo-stable absorption. It protects from the entire UV-B range (280 to 320nm), with it's highest level of protection at 314nm.
Ethylhexyl Triazone is oil soluble, oderless and colorless, which mean it is able to be incorporated into a variety of different formulations.
It is not currently available within the United States due to slow changing FDA regulations. Outside of the US, it is used in formulations at concentrations up to 5%.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl 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 GlycerinTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
