What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Stearamide Amp
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Petrolatum
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Water, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Glycol Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Cetyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide, Niacinamide, Stearamide Amp, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Petrolatum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, BHT
Water
Skin ConditioningOctocrylene
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Montanate
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Emulsifying Wax Nf
Acrylates Crosspolymer
AbsorbentMethylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Squalane
Emollient
Ozonized Sesame Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Montanate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Emulsifying Wax Nf, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Squalane, Ozonized Sesame Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Isopropyl Palmitate, Niacinamide, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholEthylhexyl 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 SalicylateGlycerin (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 GlycerinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Water. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
