COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream SPF 50 PA+++ Versus Paula's Choice Advanced Sun Protection Daily Moisturiser SPF 50 PA++++

COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream SPF 50 PA+++ Versus Paula's Choice Advanced Sun Protection Daily Moisturiser SPF 50 PA++++

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

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate

Glycerin

Propylene Glycol

Cyclopentasiloxane

Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid

Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Isoamyl P-Methoxycinnamate

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Alcohol

Dimethicone

Butylene Glycol

Glyceryl Stearate

Titanium Dioxide

C14-22 Alcohols

Polymethyl Methacrylate

Cetearyl Alcohol

PEG-100 Stearate

Triethanolamine

Silica

Sodium Hydroxide

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside

Aluminum Hydroxide

Stearic Acid

Parfum

Caprylyl Glycol

Phenoxyethanol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Aloe Arborescens Leaf Extract

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Carbomer

Xanthan Gum

Limonene

Tocopheryl Acetate

Disodium EDTA

Hexyl Cinnamal

Linalool

Benzyl Salicylate

Geraniol

Benzyl Alcohol

Citronellol

Benzyl Benzoate

Citral

Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Isoamyl P-Methoxycinnamate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Alcohol, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Titanium Dioxide, C14-22 Alcohols, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Triethanolamine, Silica, Sodium Hydroxide, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Parfum, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Aloe Arborescens Leaf Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Limonene, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Geraniol, Benzyl Alcohol, Citronellol, Benzyl Benzoate, Citral

Dibutyl Adipate

Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate

Propylheptyl Caprylate

Ethylhexyl Salicylate

Ethylhexyl Triazone

Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol

Undecane

Isononyl Isononanoate

Propanediol

Tridecane

Saccharomyces Ferment

Sodium Polyacrylate

Decyl Glucoside

Caprylyl Glyceryl Ether

Sodium Phytate

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Lauroyl Lysine

Tocopherol

Naringenin

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Water, Dibutyl Adipate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Undecane, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Propanediol, Tridecane, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Saccharomyces Ferment, Sodium Polyacrylate, Decyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Glyceryl Ether, Sodium Phytate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Lauroyl Lysine, Propylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Naringenin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Reviews

Be the first to review

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

This ingredient is better known as bemotrizinol or Tinosorb S and is one of the best broad-spectrum UV filters in modern sunscreen.

It works by absorbing UV light across a whole range (280-400 nm) with peaks around 310 nm (UVB) and 340-345 nm (UVA). This means it covers UVB plus the deeper UVA wavelengths that drive photoaging and pigmentation.

Another pro?

It's exceptionally photostable, barely degrades in sunlight, and acts as a "bodyguard" for less stable filters.

That's why you'll see it paired with avobenzone or octinoxate; this team up ensures they keep working through sun exposure.

Safety reviews have been reassuring across the board. This ingredient shows low absorption through the skin, rarely irritates, and lab studies found it doesn't act like a hormone in the body (a concern that's been raised about some older sunscreen filters).

On maximum concentrations:

In 2026, the US F.D.A finally added it as an OTC sunscreen ingredient at concentrations up to 6% for adults / children 6 months and older

Dicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.

As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Carbonate creates a film on the skin. This film traps moisture in, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.

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.

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.

Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.

As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.

The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.

True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).

It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.

Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.

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.

Similar Comparisons