Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream SPF 50+ Versus The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Dewy Sunscreen SPF 30

Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream SPF 50+ Versus The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Dewy Sunscreen SPF 30

This chemical sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.

This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Dibutyl Adipate

Propanediol

Ethylhexyl Triazone

Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid

Glycerin

Niacinamide

Caprylyl Methicone

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Tromethamine

1,2-Hexanediol

Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Pentylene Glycol

Butylene Glycol

Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate

Polysilicone-15

Houttuynia Cordata Extract

Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract

Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract

Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract

Coffea Arabica Seed Extract

Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Castanea Crenata Shell Extract

Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract

Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract

Panthenol

Glyceryl Stearate

Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Methylpropanediol

Carbomer

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Adenosine

Polyether-1

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Tocopherol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Dibutyl Adipate, Propanediol, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Caprylyl Methicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Tromethamine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Polysilicone-15, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Castanea Crenata Shell Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract, Panthenol, Glyceryl Stearate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Methylpropanediol, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Adenosine, Polyether-1, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin

Octocrylene

Ethylhexyl Salicylate

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane

Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid

Triheptanoin

Saccharomyces Ferment

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Glyceryl Caprylate

C9-12 Alkane

Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Dimethicone

Squalane

Hectorite

Lauroyl Lysine

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Dimethiconol

Polysorbate 60

Oryza Sativa Hull Extract

Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer

Phenoxyethanol

Polyglutamic Acid

Sorbitan Isostearate

Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract

Hydroxyacetophenone

Sodium Benzoate

Caprylyl Glycol

Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate

Saccharomyces Lysate

Water, Octocrylene, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Triheptanoin, Saccharomyces Ferment, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Caprylate, Propanediol, C9-12 Alkane, Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Dimethicone, Squalane, Hectorite, Lauroyl Lysine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Dimethiconol, Polysorbate 60, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Oryza Sativa Hull Extract, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglutamic Acid, Sorbitan Isostearate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Saccharomyces Lysate

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.

It is a:

Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin

Emollient, helping to soften skin

Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas

Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives

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.

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.

Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.

Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.

In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.

There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.

Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.

A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.

The quality of the extract matters a lot here:

Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.

Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).

Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.

Glycerin (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.

Propanediol 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.

Tromethamine (aka THAM) is a synthetic amino acid that shows up in skincare as a helper ingredient.

It functions as a pH adjuster to help neutralize acidic ingredients and set a formula's pH to the right spot.

This matters a lot because a lot of actives (like vitamin C) needs a specific pH to work well and feel comfortable on skin.

Concentration use ranges from 0.1-1.0% depending on the formula.

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!

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