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Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++ Original

Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++ Ingredients Explained

Sunscreen
4.0   (20)
59
20
27
5

Updated November 6, 2024 Added by ClaireGS_375

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Overview

What it is

Sunscreen with 36 ingredients that contains hyaluronic acid and SPF

Suited For

It has ingredients that are good for dry skin, brightening skin and scar healing

Free From

It doesn't contain any common allergens, oils, parabens or sulfates

Fun facts

Biore is from Japan. This product is used in 581 routines created by our community.

We independently verify ingredients and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Does this product need an update? Let us know.

Quick info

Free from

Safety & Ethics

50 SPF Rating

Protects against 98.0% of UVB rays

Japanese Brand

Brand country of origin

Ingredients, at a glance

What's in this product, and how it might affect your skin.

Notable Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients List

Dive into the full list of ingredients.

Water Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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.

Loved by users
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Alcohol Denat. Antimicrobial, Astringent, Masking
Alcohol IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.

Very disliked
AlcoholAlcohol Icon5 Concerns
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Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate UV Absorber, UV Filter
0 / 0 Chemical UV Filter IconMay cause irritation IconNon-Reef-Safe Icon

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate is an organic compound that provides UVB protection. It often goes by the more common name of octinoxate. It is created from methoxycinnamic acid and 2-ethylhexanol.

0 Com. / 0 Irr.
Very disliked
Chemical UV FilterChemical UV Filter Icon2 Concerns
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Ethylhexyl Triazone UV Absorber, UV Filter
Chemical UV Filter Icon

Ethylhexyl Triazone is a modern chemical sunscreen that protects from UV-B radiation.

Liked by users
Chemical UV FilterChemical UV Filter Icon
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Isopropyl Palmitate Emollient, Masking
3-4 / 1 May worsen Oily Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Isopropyl Palmitate is a texture enhancer and emollient. It is an ester of isopropyl alcohol and palmitic acid.

3-4 Com. / 1 Irr.
Very disliked
3 Concerns
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Lauryl Methacrylate/Sodium Methacrylate Crosspolymer

We don't have a description for Lauryl Methacrylate/Sodium Methacrylate Crosspolymer yet.

Not enough ratings
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Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate UV Filter
Chemical UV Filter Icon

Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (DHHB) is a chemical UVA absorber. It is formulated for high UVA protection (320-400 nm).

Liked by users
Chemical UV FilterChemical UV Filter Icon
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Hydrogenated Polyisobutene Emollient, Skin Conditioning
1 / 2

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer. Polymers are compounds with high molecular weight. Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is an emollient and texture enhancer.

1 Com. / 2 Irr.
Liked by users
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Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine Skin Conditioning, UV Absorber, UV Filter
Chemical UV Filter Icon

You might know this ingredient as Tinosorb S or Bemotrizinol. It is a UV filter that covers both UVA and UVB rays.

Liked by users
Chemical UV FilterChemical UV Filter Icon
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Dextrin Palmitate Emulsifying
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Dextrin Palmitate comes from the palmitic acid ester of Dextrin. It is used as an emulsifier and texture enhancer.

Disliked by users
Not safe for Fungal AcneNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon
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Butylene Glycol Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

1 Com. / 0 Irr.
Mixed reviews
Helps hydrate Dry SkinHelps hydrate Dry Skin Icon
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Xylitol Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Xylitol is a humectant and prebiotic. It can help with dry skin.

Liked by users
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Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer Emulsion Stabilising

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken and improve the texture of products.

Disliked by users
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Dimethicone Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting
1 / 0 Silicon Icon

Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration.

1 Com. / 0 Irr.
Very disliked
SiliconSilicon Icon
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C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate Antimicrobial, Emollient, Skin Conditioning

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is made up of Benzoic Acid and long chain alcohols. It has a low molecular weight.

Disliked by users
Learn more
Glycerin Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

0 Com. / 0 Irr.
Loved by users
2 Benefits
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Glyceryl Stearate Emollient, Emulsifying
1 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.

1 Com. / 0 Irr.
Disliked by users
Not safe for Fungal AcneNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon
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Propanediol Solvent

Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.

Liked by users
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Glyceryl Behenate Emollient, Emulsifying
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glyceryl Behenate is a fatty acid created from glycerin and behenic acid. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

Disliked by users
Not safe for Fungal AcneNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon
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Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer

We don't have a description for Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer yet.

Very disliked
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Heptanol Perfuming
Fragrance Icon

Heptanol is a fragrance.

Not enough ratings
FragranceFragrance Icon
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Agar Masking

Agar is the vegan substitute for animal-gelatin. It helps thicken and improve the texture of cosmetics.

Disliked by users
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Sorbitan Distearate Emollient

We don't have a description for Sorbitan Distearate yet.

Not enough ratings
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Isoceteth-20 Emulsifying
May cause irritation Icon

Isoceteth-20 comes from Isocetyl Alcohol. It is an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.

Very disliked
May cause irritationMay cause irritation Icon
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Polyvinyl Alcohol

We don't have a description for Polyvinyl Alcohol yet.

Very disliked
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Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer Skin Conditioning

This ingredient is a silicone used to improve the texture of products and absorb oil. It does not get absorbed into the skin.

Very disliked
Learn more
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate Cleansing, Emulsifying, Skin Conditioning

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an emulsifier and helps condition the skin. It is amino acid-based.

Liked by users
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Arginine Masking, Skin Conditioning
Good for Scar Healing IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Arginine is an amino acid that is important for human development. Your body uses is it to produce hair keratin and skin collagen.

Mixed reviews
Good for Scar HealingGood for Scar Healing IconNot safe for Fungal AcneNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon
Learn more
Potassium Hydroxide Buffering

Potassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.

Disliked by users
Learn more
Sodium Hydroxide Buffering

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

Mixed reviews
Learn more
Royal Jelly Extract Skin Conditioning
Good for Scar Healing Icon

Royal Jelly Extract comes from a secretion made by worker honeybees. This secretion is white and described as creamy.

Liked by users
Good for Scar HealingGood for Scar Healing Icon
Learn more
Sodium Hyaluronate Humectant, Skin Conditioning
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid Icon

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

0 Com. / 0 Irr.
Loved by users
Hyaluronic AcidHyaluronic Acid Icon
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Phenoxyethanol Preservative
Preservative Icon

Phenoxyethanol 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.

Very disliked
PreservativePreservative Icon
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EDTA

EDTA is the shortened name for ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid. It is a chelating agent and used to stabilize products.

Very disliked
Learn more
BHT Antioxidant, Masking
Antioxidant Icon

BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.

Very disliked
AntioxidantAntioxidant Icon
Learn more
Parfum Masking, Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.

Very disliked
FragranceFragrance Icon2 Concerns
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What the community thinks

Based on the number of likes and dislikes each ingredient has received.

10
10
10
liked
mixed
disliked
not rated
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Ingredients Explained

This product contains 36 ingredients. Click on any ingredient to learn more about it
Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Loved

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. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Antimicrobial, Astringent, Masking
Very Disliked

Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.

This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying - mostly due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue, constricting pores and leaving your skin dried out.

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 if this alcohol is near the end of an ingredients list, it will probably not affect your skin much.

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.

Other types of astringent alcohols include:

Learn more about Alcohol Denat.
UV Absorber, UV Filter
Very Disliked

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate is an organic compound that provides UVB protection. It often goes by the more common name of octinoxate. It is created from methoxycinnamic acid and 2-ethylhexanol.

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate absorbs UVB rays with wavelengths between 280-320 nm. UV absorbers protect your skin by using chemical reactions to convert UV rays into heat and energy.

UVB (290-320 nm) rays emit more energy than UVA rays. They are capable of damaging DNA, causing sunburns and are thought to be linked to skin cancer.

The state of Hawaii has banned sunscreens containing octinoxate due to its potential impact on coral reefs. More research is needed to bridge gaps in this research. The European Union allows higher levels of octinoxate in sunscreens than the US and Australia.

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate is oil soluble. It is not stable and may lose efficacy when exposed to sunlight.

Learn more about Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber, UV Filter
Liked

Ethylhexyl Triazone is a modern chemical sunscreen that protects from UV-B radiation.

It is the most effective of existing UV-B filters, as it provides the highest level of photo-stable absorption. It protects from the entire UV-B range (280 to 320nm), with it's highest level of protection at 314nm.

Ethylhexyl Triazone is oil soluble, oderless and colorless, which mean it is able to be incorporated into a variety of different formulations.

It is not currently available within the United States due to slow changing FDA regulations. Outside of the US, it is used in formulations at concentrations up to 5%.

Learn more about Ethylhexyl Triazone
Emollient, Masking
Very Disliked

Isopropyl Palmitate is a texture enhancer and emollient. It is an ester of isopropyl alcohol and palmitic acid.

Palmitates are emollients. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by creating a barrier that traps moisture in.

When added to cosmetics, Isopropyl Palmitate creates a silky texture and improves spreadability.

Isopropyl Palmitate may not be fungal acne safe. It can worsen acne prone skin.

Learn more about Isopropyl Palmitate

We don't have a description for Lauryl Methacrylate/Sodium Methacrylate Crosspolymer yet.

Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (DHHB) is a chemical UVA absorber. It is formulated for high UVA protection (320-400 nm).

DHHB is well-liked for:

DHHB has been approved by the EU, Japan, Taiwan, and South America for use up to 10%. Unfortunately, it has not been approved for use in the US or Canada due to slow regulatory processes.

This ingredient is soluble in oils, fats, and lipids.

It is an UV absorber. UV absorbers are an agent that absorbs UV rays to protect your skin. They use chemical reactions to convert UV rays into heat and energy.

Learn more about Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Liked

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer. Polymers are compounds with high molecular weight. Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is an emollient and texture enhancer.

In one study, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene showed better skin hydration levels than Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride. As an emollient, it helps keep your skin soft and hydrated by trapping moisture in.

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is often used as a mineral oil replacement.

Learn more about Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
Skin Conditioning, UV Absorber, UV Filter
Liked

You might know this ingredient as Tinosorb S or Bemotrizinol. It is a UV filter that covers both UVA and UVB rays.

Bemotrizinol has two peak UV absorption peaks ( 310 and 340 nm) and is able to absorb both UV-A and UV-B rays. Skin exposed to UV causes free-radical molecules to form. This ingredient works by preventing the UV from reaching your skin.

It is highly photostable and helps prevent the photodegration of other sunscreen ingredients such as avobenzone.

Bemotrizinol is not approved in the US but is allowed in the EU, Australia, and Asia.

In fact, it is the most effective UV absorber at maximum concentration (measured by SPF) permitted by in the EU.

It is oil-soluble.

Learn more about Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Emulsifying
Disliked

Dextrin Palmitate comes from the palmitic acid ester of Dextrin. It is used as an emulsifier and texture enhancer.

Emulsifiers help keep ingredients together. According to a manufacturer, dextrin palmitate helps create a low-viscosity gel texture.

Due to its fatty acid base, this ingredient is not fungal-acne safe.

Learn more about Dextrin Palmitate
Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning
Mixed

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

  • It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
  • It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
  • It helps improve product application.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Liked

Xylitol is a humectant and prebiotic. It can help with dry skin.

In studies, xylitol has been shown to improve dry skin. It decreased transepidermal water loss, or when water passes through the skin and evaporates. Xylitol also showed to help improve the biomechanical properties of the skin barrier.

The prebiotic property of xylitol may also help reinforce our skin's natural microbiome. Having a healthy microbiome prevents infection by bad bacteria and helps with hydration.

As a humectant, Xylitol helps draw moisture from both the air and from deeper skin layers. This helps keep skin hydrated.

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and commonly used as a sugar substitute. It is naturally occurring in plants such as strawberries and pumpkin.

Learn more about Xylitol
Emulsion Stabilising
Very Disliked

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken and improve the texture of products.

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is also an emulsifier. Due to its properties, it can prevent water and oil ingredients from separating.

Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting
Very Disliked

Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration.

The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.

This ingredient has been found to increase absorption in skin, boosting the benefits of other ingredients.

Learn more about Dimethicone
Antimicrobial, Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Disliked

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is made up of Benzoic Acid and long chain alcohols. It has a low molecular weight.

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is an emollient and texture enhancer. Due to its solubility, it is often used in sunscreens to help evenly distribute active ingredients.

As an emollient, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate helps soften and hydrate your skin. Emollients create a film on your skin that traps moisture within.

This ingredient has been reported to cause eye irritation.

Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting
Loved

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin
Emollient, Emulsifying
Disliked

Glyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.

It is used to stabilize the mixing of water and oil ingredients. By preventing these ingredients from separating, it can help elongate shelf life. It can also help thicken the product's texture.

As an emollient, it helps soften skin and supports barrier-replenishing ingredients.

In cosmetics, Glyceryl Stearate is often made from vegetable oils or synthetically produced.

This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate
Solvent
Liked

Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.

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 Propanediol
Emollient, Emulsifying
Disliked

Glyceryl Behenate is a fatty acid created from glycerin and behenic acid. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal acne safe.

We don't have a description for Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer yet.

Perfuming

Heptanol is a fragrance.

Masking
Disliked

Agar is the vegan substitute for animal-gelatin. It helps thicken and improve the texture of cosmetics.

Agar is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.

Agar is created from cell-walls of red algae.

Learn more about Agar

We don't have a description for Sorbitan Distearate yet.

Emulsifying
Very Disliked

Isoceteth-20 comes from Isocetyl Alcohol. It is an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.

Very Disliked

We don't have a description for Polyvinyl Alcohol yet.

Skin Conditioning
Very Disliked

This ingredient is a silicone used to improve the texture of products and absorb oil. It does not get absorbed into the skin.

Like other silicones, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer helps condition the skin by creating a barrier. In this sense, it can act as an emollient and trap moisture in.

Cleansing, Emulsifying, Skin Conditioning
Liked

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an emulsifier and helps condition the skin. It is amino acid-based.

In higher amounts, it may act as a cleansing agent.

Masking, Skin Conditioning
Mixed

Arginine is an amino acid that is important for human development. Your body uses is it to produce hair keratin and skin collagen.

As a cosmetic ingredient, Arginine has antioxidant properties and can also help repair damaged skin. This ingredient is derived either synthetically or from animals.

Arginine isn't fungal acne safe when used in the presence of other lipids (fats, fatty acids, oils, esters, etc). Oils and fats occur naturally within the skin, so take caution when using Arginine if you're prone to fungal acne.

Learn more about Arginine
Buffering
Disliked

Potassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.

Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.

Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.

Learn more about Potassium Hydroxide
Buffering
Mixed

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Learn more about Sodium Hydroxide
Skin Conditioning
Liked

Royal Jelly Extract comes from a secretion made by worker honeybees. This secretion is white and described as creamy.

This compound has antibacterial, anti-aging, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Studies show Royal Jelly to contain amino acids, fatty acids, and a variety of vitamins, including Vitamin Bs. Many of these components are antioxidants, which help with anti-aging. The fatty acids in Royal Jelly make it a hydrating ingredient.

Several animal studies show Royal Jelly to boost collagen production and reduce inflammation.

The Vitamin Bs found in Royal Jelly include:

Royal Jelly is derived from honeybees. This means it is not vegan.

Learn more about Royal Jelly Extract
Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Loved

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate
Preservative
Very Disliked

Phenoxyethanol 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.

Very Disliked

EDTA is the shortened name for ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid. It is a chelating agent and used to stabilize products.

Chelating Agents are used to prevent trace metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This can prevent unwanted reactions or changed efficacy of products.

BHT
Antioxidant, Masking
Very Disliked

BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.

As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.

As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.

The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.

However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.

Learn more about BHT
Masking, Perfuming
Very Disliked

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.

Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'.

The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.

One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Learn more about Parfum

Reviews

4.0
from 20 ratings
Light (4) Works Well (2) Absorbs Well (2)

Most Helpful Reviews

imyourdorito's avatar

imyourdorito

 · Sensitive Skin

I'll start by saying that yes, this feels like practically nothing on the skin, and it's very similar to a primer as far as texture goes.

BUT once applied, I didn't feel the same level of protection as with the European SPFs I used to use. I even applied half of each on my face to compare:

With the European one I experienced a cooling effect and didn't feel any heat touching my skin, it was like being hugged by icecream (a weird comparison, but it's the closest I can think of). Meanwhile, with this one, I didn't feel anything? I felt the heat touching my skin as much as on my non-protected areas, and there was no cooling effect whatsoever.

Is it cosmetically elegant? Yes. Is it cheaper than any European SPF? Yes. But I prefer not to play around with sun protection knowing the damage it can cause, and I don't feel 100% safe using this one.

JamimaShamimSoha_575's avatar

JamimaShamimSoha_575

 · Oily Skin

no white cast, non comedogenic, gives a nice satin finish, ultra lightweight

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