What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHomosalate
Skin Conditioning
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Diethylhexyl 2,6-Naphthalate
EmollientC20-22 Alkyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingC20-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Tromethamine
BufferingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Parfum
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningVp/Eicosene Copolymer
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Water, Homosalate, Octocrylene, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Dipropylene Glycol, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Panthenol, Diethylhexyl 2,6-Naphthalate, C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate, C20-22 Alcohols, 1,2-Hexanediol, Silica, Caprylyl Methicone, Pentylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Tromethamine, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Centella Asiatica Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Isoamyl P-Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientEthylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Morus Alba Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Isoamyl P-Methoxycinnamate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Arbutin, Zinc Oxide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Beeswax, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Xanthan Gum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Allantoin, Betaine, Parfum, Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Disodium EDTA, CI 77492
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Ethylhexyl Salicylate (also called Octisalate or Octyl Salicylate) is an oil-soluble organic UV filter that's been used in sunscreen since the 1950's.
It absorbs UVB light in the 280-320 nm range with a peak absorbance around 306 nm.
You'll often see it paired with other UV filters to boost overall SPF because octisalate is a fairly week filter on its own.
The reason you'll see it so often is because it can help solubilize and stabilize the trickier filters like oxybenzone and avobenzone.
Unlike these filters, octisalate has pretty good photostability and doesn't create skin-damaging free radicals when exposed to sunlight.
The fatty-alcohol part of the molecule also gives it a light, emollient feel so it doubles as a nice texture enhancer.
Usage levels vary around the world:
Safety-wise, this ingredient has a pretty reassuring track record. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) found very low skin penetration in human skin tests and negative results for irritation, phototoxicity, and photoallergy.
The real-world allergy risk is pretty low too; a 2012 European study of 1,031 people recorded only 2 reactions to it (a rate of 0.19%).
You might have seen scary headlines about sunscreen getting into your blood.
In 2019, the FDA found that several chemical filters can absorb through the skin and show up in the bloodstream at small but measurable levels.
Here's the important part: these tiny levels are just a cutoff the FDA uses to decide which ingredients need more testing and doesn't mean anything harmful was found.
The researchers were clear that the results are no reason to stop wearing sunscreen.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl SalicylateGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateParfum 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 ParfumWater. 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
