Urban Decay All Nighter Natural Finish Makeup Setting Spray Versus La Roche-Posay Anthelios Tinted Mineral Light Fluid Sunscreen SPF 50
This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Titanium Dioxide 11%
Cosmetic ColorantWater
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDimethicone
EmollientUndecane
EmollientTriethylhexanoin
MaskingIsohexadecane
EmollientStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Nylon-12
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin ConditioningPhenethyl Benzoate
EmollientSilica
AbrasiveTridecane
PerfumingDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientTalc
AbrasiveDimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Aluminum Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
EmulsifyingIron Oxides
Alumina
AbrasivePolyhydroxystearic Acid
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeMagnesium Sulfate
Propylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientPEG-8 Laurate
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
CleansingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingDiethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingTocopherol
AntioxidantPropylene Carbonate
SolventCassia Alata Leaf Extract
AstringentMaltodextrin
AbsorbentBenzoic Acid
MaskingDisodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingTitanium Dioxide 11%, Water, Isododecane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dimethicone, Undecane, Triethylhexanoin, Isohexadecane, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Nylon-12, Caprylyl Methicone, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Phenethyl Benzoate, Silica, Tridecane, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Talc, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Aluminum Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Iron Oxides, Alumina, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Magnesium Sulfate, Propylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Aluminum Hydroxide, PEG-8 Laurate, Stearic Acid, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Tocopherol, Propylene Carbonate, Cassia Alata Leaf Extract, Maltodextrin, Benzoic Acid, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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