CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30 Versus The INKEY List SPF30 Sunscreen 100% Mineral UV Filters

CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30 Versus The INKEY List SPF30 Sunscreen 100% Mineral UV Filters

This barrier-repair day moisturizer is formulated around Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

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

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%

Homosalate 10%

Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%

Octocrylene 2.7%

Water

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer

Glycerin

Pentylene Glycol

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Carbomer

Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Cholesterol

Phenoxyethanol

Disodium EDTA

Hydroxyacetophenone

Citric Acid

Phytosphingosine

Xanthan Gum

T-Butyl Alcohol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 10%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 2.7%, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyacetophenone, Citric Acid, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, T-Butyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin

Zinc Oxide

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Coconut Alkanes

Glyceryl Stearate

Caramel

Silica

PEG-100 Stearate

Polyhydroxystearic Acid

Dimethicone

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Polymethylsilsesquioxane/Silica Crosspolymer

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Stearic Acid

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

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder

Panthenol

Lecithin

Polysorbate 60

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

1,2-Hexanediol

Tocopherol

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.

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.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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