EltaMD, Inc UV Shield Broad-Spectrum SPF 45 Versus The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Dewy Sunscreen SPF 30

EltaMD, Inc UV Shield Broad-Spectrum SPF 45 Versus The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Dewy Sunscreen SPF 30

This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 45.

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

Zinc Oxide 9%

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%

Water

Isopropyl Palmitate

Ethylhexyl Stearate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Polysorbate 60

Oleth-3 Phosphate

Phenoxyethanol

Cetearyl Glucoside

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Polyisobutene

Polyether-1

Butylene Glycol

PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether

Tocopheryl Acetate

Citric Acid

Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

Triethoxycaprylylsilane

Zinc Oxide 9%, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%, Water, Isopropyl Palmitate, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyisobutene, Polyether-1, Butylene Glycol, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citric Acid, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane

Octocrylene

Glycerin

Ethylhexyl Salicylate

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane

Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid

Triheptanoin

Saccharomyces Ferment

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Tromethamine

Glyceryl Caprylate

Propanediol

C9-12 Alkane

Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Dimethicone

Squalane

Hectorite

Lauroyl Lysine

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Dimethiconol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Oryza Sativa Hull Extract

Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer

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

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.

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.

This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.

It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.

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.

Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.

Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.

In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.

Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.

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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