EltaMD, Inc UV Facial Broad-Spectrum SPF 30+ Versus Paula's Choice Smoothing Primer Serum SPF 30

EltaMD, Inc UV Facial Broad-Spectrum SPF 30+ Versus Paula's Choice Smoothing Primer Serum SPF 30

This hybrid 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

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate

Zinc Oxide

Water

Petrolatum

Isopropyl Palmitate

Ethylhexyl Stearate

Cetearyl Glucoside

Glyceryl Stearate

Dimethicone

PEG-100 Stearate

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Polyisobutene

PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether

Sodium Hyaluronate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Polyether-1

Citric Acid

Oleth-3 Phosphate

Phenoxyethanol

Butylene Glycol

Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

Triethoxycaprylylsilane

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Zinc Oxide, Water, Petrolatum, Isopropyl Palmitate, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, PEG-100 Stearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyisobutene, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polyether-1, Citric Acid, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane

Isododecane

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 6%

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Butyloctyl Salicylate

Homosalate 4%

Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4%

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2%

Polysilicone-11

Bisabolol

Coffea Arabica Seed Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Retinyl Palmitate

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract

Calluna Vulgaris Flower Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Chlorella Vulgaris Extract

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Physalis Angulata Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate

Isododecane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 6%, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Homosalate 4%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4%, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2%, Polysilicone-11, Bisabolol, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Calluna Vulgaris Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Physalis Angulata Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate

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 also known as Octinoxate and is one of the oldest and most widely used chemical UV filters in skincare.

It has a simple job: soap up UVB radiation (290-320 nm), the wavelengths responsible for sunburn and a big chunk of long-term sun damage.

In formulas, it's always paired with a separate UVA filter because octinoxate solely protects skin from UVB.

Because it's an oil-soluble liquid, it's easy to blend into the oil phase of lotions/creams and gives a cosmetically elegant feel.

The one quirk about formulating this ingredient is photostability; the molecule slowly changes shape into a less effective version when sunlight hits it. So the longer you're in the sun, the weaker its protection gets. The drop can be more than 30% in some formulas.

It also doesn't play nice with Avobenzone (the common UVA filter) since avobenzone destabilizes octinoxate and the two degrade each other. But don't worry: brands have solved this issue by adding photostabilizers like Tinosorb S to prevent degradation and keep SPF stable under heavy UV exposure.

The maximum allowed level is 10% in the EU and Australia, 7.5% in the US and Canada, and 20% in Japan.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics up to 10%.

One last thing worth knowing for context:

Octinoxate has been the subject of ongoing review in Europe where the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety's (SCCS) 2025 final opinion is that this ingredient is an endocrine-active substance.

Lab and animal studies suggest it can act a bit like a hormone in the body (mildly mimicking estrogen and slightly blocking male hormones). It's important to know this hasn't really been shown to happen in everyday human use.

This ingredient is also banned in Hawaii over coral reef concerns.

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