Wardah UV Shield Physical Sunscreen Serum SPF 50+ Versus Wardah UV Shield Bright-C Hydrating Sunscreen Serum SPF 35
This mineral sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
This chemical sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~97% of UVB at SPF 35.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Trisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Artemisia Capillaris Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHaberlea Rhodopensis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingWater, Zinc Oxide, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Trisiloxane, Arachidyl Alcohol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Chlorphenesin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Allantoin, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Bisabolol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Tocopherol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Artemisia Capillaris Flower Extract, Haberlea Rhodopensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aminomethyl Propanol
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Niacinamide
Smoothing
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Verbascum Thapsus Flower
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCetearyl Olivate
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Propanediol
Solvent
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingPolymethyl Methacrylate
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Laureth-23
Cleansing
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Steareth-100
Gel FormingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTriethylene Glycol
Masking
Tetrasodium EDTA
ChelatingParfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Niacinamide, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Verbascum Thapsus Flower, Phenoxyethanol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Olivate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Propanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, Aminomethyl Propanol, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Glycerin, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Allantoin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Palmitate, Laureth-23, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Steareth-100, Xanthan Gum, Triethylene Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Parfum, Citric Acid, BHT, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinAminomethyl Propanol is used to adjust the pH of products. It is also used as a base to create other organic compounds. Having a balanced pH is important for protecting your skin.
Aminomethyl propanol is safe to use in cosmetics up to 1%. It is soluble in water.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.
However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 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 PhenoxyethanolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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
