What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Homosalate 10.72%
Skin Conditioning
Octocrylene 6%
UV Absorber
Benzophenone-3 3.86%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 3.21%
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Drometrizole Trisiloxane 0.5%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
PEG-8 Laurate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Homosalate 10.72%, Octocrylene 6%, Benzophenone-3 3.86%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 3.21%, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Drometrizole Trisiloxane 0.5%, Water, Dimethicone, Alcohol Denat., Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Menthyl Lactate, PEG-8 Laurate, Phenoxyethanol, Silica, Sodium Polyacrylate, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Glycerin
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV Absorber
Propylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientVp/Hexadecene Copolymer
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Triacontanyl Pvp
HumectantPhenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Acrylates Copolymer
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGalactoarabinan
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Alcohol Denat., Dibutyl Adipate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Triacontanyl Pvp, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylates Copolymer, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Galactoarabinan, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cellulose Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citric Acid, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerAlcohol 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.Caprylyl 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 GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexyl Salicylate is an organic compound used to block UV rays. It primarily absorbs UVB rays but offers a small amount of UVA protection as well.
Commonly found in sunscreens, Ethylhexyl Salicylate is created from salicylic acid and 2-ethylhexanol. You might know salicylic acid as the effective acne fighter ingredient and BHA.
The ethylhexanol in this ingredient is a fatty alcohol and helps hydrate your skin, similar to oils. It is an emollient, which means it traps moisture into the skin.
According to manufacturers, Ethylhexyl Salicylate absorbs UV wavelength of 295-315 nm, with a peak absorption at 307-310 nm. UVA rays are linked to long term skin damage, such as hyperpigmentation. UVB rays emit more energy and are capable of damaging our DNA. UVB rays cause sunburn.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl SalicylateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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
