What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 6%
UV Absorber
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Polyester-8
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene
Skin Conditioning
Menthanediol
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Ethyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Limonene
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 6%, Alcohol Denat., Butyloctyl Salicylate, Polyester-8, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Menthanediol, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopherol, Bisabolol, Ethyl Ferulate, Parfum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Limonene, Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.9%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.9%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 9.5%
UV Absorber
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene
Skin Conditioning
Polyester-8
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Va/Butyl Maleate/Isobornyl Acrylate Copolymer
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil
Emollient
Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil
Skin Conditioning
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Brassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCamelina Sativa Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningEthyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
Diisooctyl Succinate
Emollient
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.9%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.9%, Octocrylene 9.5%, Alcohol, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Polyester-8, Parfum, Va/Butyl Maleate/Isobornyl Acrylate Copolymer, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Bisabolol, Glycerin, Water, Ethyl Ferulate, Diisooctyl Succinate
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 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 SalicylateEthyl 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 FerulateThis ingredient is a photostabilizer and a chemical UV booster. It is marketed as an alternative to octocrylene.
You'll most likely find it in sunscreens to enhance stability and effectiveness of UV filters, antioxidants, and vitamin A derivatives. According to the manufacturer, this ingredient is better than octocrylene at stabilizing avobenzone.
Due to regulation loopholes, you'll likely see this ingredient in "100% mineral" sunscreens.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl MethoxycryleneEthylhexyl 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 SalicylateOctocrylene 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 OctocryleneParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumThis ingredient is also known as Polycrylene. It is a UV photostabilizer and often used in sunscreens as an alternative to octocrylene.
Polycrylene is used to stabilize other UV filters, especially avobenzone, which is known to degrade rapidly without stabilizers. It also absorbs UVB light, but is only about 1/3 as effective as octocrylene.
At its maximum recommended strength of 4%, this ingredient is not likely to make a significant contribution to SPF factor. Polycrylene has a large molecular weight so it's unlikely to penetrate skin.
Although rare, this ingredient can cause contact dermatitis.
Due to regulatory loopholes, you'll be able to find this chemical UV filter in "100% mineral" sunscreens.
Learn more about Polyester-8
