This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range, though its SPF isn't confirmed on file yet.
This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zinc Oxide 12%
Cosmetic Colorant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Iron Oxides
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventNiacinamide
Smoothing
Nylon-12
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Phenylpropanol
Masking
Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSilica
Abrasive
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingStearalkonium Hectorite
Gel FormingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
ChelatingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Tridecyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide 12%, Allantoin, Bisabolol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Coco-Caprylate, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Iron Oxides, Jojoba Esters, Lecithin, Methylpropanediol, Niacinamide, Nylon-12, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Phenylpropanol, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Propanediol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Silica, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Tocopherol, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Tridecyl Salicylate, Water
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 7%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 9%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPongamia Glabra Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Undecane
EmollientBetaine
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Colloidal Oatmeal
Absorbent
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tridecane
Perfuming
Ethyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-4 Laurate
Emulsifying
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Pongamia Pinnata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
ChelatingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Oryza Sativa Germ Extract
EmollientOryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
HumectantDunaliella Salina Extract
Skin ConditioningHaematococcus Pluvialis Extract
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCellulose
Absorbent
Fructose
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 7%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 9%, Water, Glycerin, Butyloctyl Salicylate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Pongamia Glabra Seed Oil, Undecane, Betaine, Silica, Colloidal Oatmeal, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Tridecane, Ethyl Ferulate, Glycine Soja Oil, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Arachidyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Pongamia Pinnata Seed Extract, Behenyl Alcohol, Cellulose Gum, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Oryza Sativa Germ Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Citric Acid, Inulin, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose, Fructose, Glucose
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
C12-15 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 GlycolPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate is a plant-derived, oil-soluble emulsifier. It keeps water-in-oil emulsions stable to prevent the ingredients from separating.
On the safety front, it's considered non-irritating and well-tolerated (it can even be found in formulations for baby skin).
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because research has shown that the Malassezia species can grow in the presence of fatty acid esters with chain lengths above C12 (and this one is C18).
While it does have a comedogenic rating of 4, the comedogenic rating scale was developed from rabbit ear models which has limited clinical relevance to human skin. Studies also show that comedogenic ingredients cannot predict how the overall formula will behave on human skin.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-3 DiisostearateSilica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaTocopherol 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
