What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHomosalate
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Diisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientOctocrylene
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Propanediol
Solvent
Triethanolamine
BufferingBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate
Emulsion StabilisingTerephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water, Homosalate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Alcohol Denat., Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Glycerin, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Propanediol, Triethanolamine, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Tocopherol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Drometrizole Trisiloxane
UV Absorber
Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Isocetyl Stearate
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Triethanolamine
BufferingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientBHT
Antioxidant
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Seedcake Extract
Skin Protecting
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77163
Cosmetic Colorant
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Scutellaria Baicalensis Extract
AntimicrobialSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate
Cleansing
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, CI 77891, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Titanium Dioxide, Isocetyl Stearate, Alcohol Denat., Propylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Stearic Acid, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Tocopherol, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Aluminum Hydroxide, BHT, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Seedcake Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Cetyl Alcohol, CI 42090, CI 77163, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 60, Polysorbate 80, Scutellaria Baicalensis Extract, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sorbitan Oleate, Xanthan Gum, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.You might know this ingredient as Tinosorb S or Bemotrizinol. It is a UV filter that covers both UVA and UVB rays.
This ingredient has two peak UV absorption peaks ( 310 and 340 nm) and is able to absorb both UV-A and UV-B rays. This ingredient works by preventing UV rays from reaching and damaging your skin.
On top of that - it is highly photostable and helps prevent the photodegration of other sunscreen ingredients such as avobenzone.
Tinosorb S is allowed in the EU, Australia, and Asia. It is close to being approved by the FDA and we'll hopefully get this ingredient in the U.S. by late 2026.
Fun fact: Tinosorb S is the most effective UV absorber at maximum concentration (measured by SPF) permitted in the EU.
This ingredient is oil-soluble, so your oil-cleansers will take this right off at night.
Learn more about Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl TriazineCaprylyl 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 or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Ecamsule is a UV-A absorber (290–400 nm) patented by L'Oreal. It is derived from benzylidene camphor, making it highly photostable.
Ecamsule is able to prevent UV from reaching the skin. It absorbs UV and releases it as thermal energy.
It does this by:
The pH of ecamsule needs to be neutralized due to it being an acid. Triethanolamine is a pH adjusting ingredient often used with ecamsule.
This sunscreen ingredient is approved for use in the EU, Canada, and Asia. In the US, you will only find this ingredient in select L'Oreal products.
Learn more about Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic AcidTocopherol 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 TocopherolTriethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
If you are looking for the tea leaf ingredient, click here.
Learn more about TriethanolamineWater. 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
