Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

IMAGE skincare PREVENTION+ Daily Matte Moisturizer SPF 32+ Versus Black Girl Sunscreen Kids SPF 50

IMAGE skincare PREVENTION+ Daily Matte Moisturizer SPF 32+ Versus Black Girl Sunscreen Kids SPF 50 This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~97% of UVB at SPF 32. This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA tha

IMAGE skincare PREVENTION+ Daily Matte Moisturizer SPF 32+ Versus Black Girl Sunscreen Kids SPF 50

This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~97% of UVB at SPF 32.

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 9.3%

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%

Water

Cyclopentasiloxane

Isodecyl Neopentanoate

Dimethicone

Glycerin

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone

Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer

Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Methacrylamidolauric Acid Copolymer

Caprylyl Methicone

Phenoxyethanol

Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone

Cetearyl Dimethicone

Polyisobutene

Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Hexyl Dimethicone

Xanthan Gum

Ethylhexylglycerin

Panthenol

Polysorbate 20

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Hyaluronate

Erythritol

Lecithin

Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract

PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Homarine Hcl

Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract

Micrococcus Lysate

Plankton Extract

Ergothioneine

Phospholipids

Zinc Oxide 9.3%, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%, Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Methacrylamidolauric Acid Copolymer, Caprylyl Methicone, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Cetearyl Dimethicone, Polyisobutene, Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Hexyl Dimethicone, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Polysorbate 20, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Erythritol, Lecithin, Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract, PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Homarine Hcl, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Micrococcus Lysate, Plankton Extract, Ergothioneine, Phospholipids

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%

Homosalate 15%

Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Carbomer

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose

Persea Gratissima Cera

Propylene Glycol

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Sodium Hydroxide

Sorbitan Oleate

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 15%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Carbomer, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Lecithin, Persea Gratissima Cera, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Oleate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Water

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.

This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.

Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).

Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.

Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.

While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

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.

Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.

Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:

It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.

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.

Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.

Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.

It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.

One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.

Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.

Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.

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.

Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.

The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.

Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.

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!

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Side-by-side

  1. 01Water
  2. 02Dicaprylyl Carbonate
  3. 03Ethylhexyl Stearate
  4. 04Glycerin
  5. 05Squalane
  6. 06Propanediol
  7. 07Pentylene Glycol
  8. 08Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
  9. 09Chlorphenesin
  10. 10Withania Somnifera Root Extract
  11. 11Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
  12. 12Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
  13. 13Sodium Hydroxide
  14. 14Limonene
  15. 15Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
  16. 16Lactic Acid
  17. 171,2-Hexanediol
  18. 18Caprylyl Glycol
  19. 19Tocopherol
  20. 20Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side