Skin science article
AVON Anew Solar Advance Anti-Wrinkle Ultra Matte Cream SPF50 Versus The INKEY List SPF30 Sunscreen 100% Mineral UV Filters
AVON Anew Solar Advance Anti-Wrinkle Ultra Matte Cream SPF50 Versus The INKEY List SPF30 Sunscreen 100% Mineral UV Filters This chemical sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50. This mineral sunscreen covers the full UV range and bl
AVON Anew Solar Advance Anti-Wrinkle Ultra Matte Cream SPF50 Versus The INKEY List SPF30 Sunscreen 100% Mineral UV Filters
This chemical sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
This mineral sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~97% of UVB at SPF 30.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Homosalate
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Cyclopentasiloxane
Octocrylene
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Glycerin
Behenyl Alcohol
Ethylhexyl Triazone
Propylene Glycol
Silica
Zea Mays Starch
Glyceryl Stearate
Caprylyl Glycol
Dilauryl Thiodipropionate
Hydroxyacetophenone
Parfum
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Tromethamine
Phenoxyethanol
Polysilicone-11
Carbomer
Disodium EDTA
Acrylates Copolymer
Xanthan Gum
Hexylene Glycol
Oryzanol
Kaempferia Galanga Root Extract
Caprylic Acid
Niacinamide
Sodium Hyaluronate
Laureth-12
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Phaeodactylum Tricornutum Extract
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Tocopherol
Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Octocrylene, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Glycerin, Behenyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Propylene Glycol, Silica, Zea Mays Starch, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Dilauryl Thiodipropionate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Parfum, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Tromethamine, Phenoxyethanol, Polysilicone-11, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Acrylates Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Hexylene Glycol, Oryzanol, Kaempferia Galanga Root Extract, Caprylic Acid, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Laureth-12, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Phaeodactylum Tricornutum Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol
Water
Zinc Oxide
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
Coconut Alkanes
Caramel
PEG-100 Stearate
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Dimethicone
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Polymethylsilsesquioxane/Silica Crosspolymer
Stearic Acid
Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Squalane
Bisabolol
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Tocopheryl Acetate
Citric Acid
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Ethylhexylglycerin
Panthenol
Lecithin
Polysorbate 60
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
1,2-Hexanediol
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Sorbitan Isostearate
Biosaccharide Gum-4
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Water, Zinc Oxide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Coconut Alkanes, Glyceryl Stearate, Caramel, Glycerin, Silica, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane/Silica Crosspolymer, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polysilicone-11, Squalane, Bisabolol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Lecithin, Polysorbate 60, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
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Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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.
Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Polysilicone-11 is a film-forming silicone that creates a non-tacky and matte finish on the skin. It's commonly used to improve texture, absorb excess oil, and help active ingredients spread evenly.
Due to its "rubber-like" structure, it stays on the skin's surface instead of being absorbed. On the skin, it creates a flexible layer that enhances wearability and stability.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is the potassium salt of a mixture. This mixture consists of the esters from phosphoricacid and cetyl alcohol.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier and cleansing agent. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
As a cleansing agent, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate helps gather oils, dirts, and pollutants from your skin. This makes it easier to rinse them away with water.
Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Tocopherol 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.
Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.