IMAGE skincare Prevention+ Daily Ultimate Protection Moisturizer SPF 50 Versus IMAGE skincare Daily Prevention Pure Mineral Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30

IMAGE skincare Prevention+ Daily Ultimate Protection Moisturizer SPF 50 Versus IMAGE skincare Daily Prevention Pure Mineral Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30

This sunscreen offers SPF 50 protection with a matte finish that helps control shine.

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

Water

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Glycerin

Cyclopentasiloxane

Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone

Thermus Thermophillus Ferment

Polyacrylate-13

Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate

Phenoxyethanol

Polyisobutene

Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate

Lecithin

Isostearic Acid

Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate

Polyhydroxystearic Acid

Sodium Chloride

Cetearyl Dimethicone

Marrubium Vulgare Extract

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Xanthan Gum

Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate

Disteardimonium Hectorite

Polysorbate 20

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

Limonene

Sorbitan Isostearate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Panthenol

Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Hyaluronate

Melanin

Erythritol

Citric Acid

Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract

Glucose

Potassium Sorbate

Hydrolyzed Pea Protein

Tocopherol

PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Barosma Betulina Leaf Oil

Sodium Benzoate

Homarine Hcl

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Sodium Succinate

Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract

Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract

Micrococcus Lysate

Plankton Extract

Ergothioneine

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Thermus Thermophillus Ferment, Polyacrylate-13, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyisobutene, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Lecithin, Isostearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Cetearyl Dimethicone, Marrubium Vulgare Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Polysorbate 20, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Limonene, Sorbitan Isostearate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Melanin, Erythritol, Citric Acid, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Glucose, Potassium Sorbate, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Tocopherol, PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Barosma Betulina Leaf Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Homarine Hcl, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Succinate, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract, Micrococcus Lysate, Plankton Extract, Ergothioneine

Zinc Oxide 6%

Titanium Dioxide 4.7%

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Dimethicone

Cyclohexasiloxane

Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone

Aluminum Hydroxide

Stearic Acid

Cetearyl Olivate

Acetyl Zingerone

Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate

Hexyl Laurate

Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer

Sorbitan Olivate

Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Hexyl Dimethicone

Caprylyl Glycol

Hexylene Glycol

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Phosphatidylcholine

Mannitol

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Dipropylene Glycol

Benzoic Acid

Methylpropanediol

Triethoxycaprylylsilane

Sodium Citrate

Ectoin

Palmitic Acid

Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract

Phenylpropanol

Alumina

Magnesium Oxide

Sodium Ferrocyanide

CI 77891

CI 77499

CI 77492

CI 77491

Zinc Oxide 6%, Titanium Dioxide 4.7%, Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Cetearyl Olivate, Acetyl Zingerone, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Hexyl Laurate, Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitan Olivate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Hexyl Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phosphatidylcholine, Mannitol, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Methylpropanediol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Sodium Citrate, Ectoin, Palmitic Acid, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Tocopherol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Panthenol, Phenylpropanol, Alumina, Magnesium Oxide, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Ferrocyanide, CI 77891, CI 77499, CI 77492, CI 77491

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

This ingredient is a silicone-based emulsifer that helps the water and oil phases play nicely together.

It's pretty effective because one end of the molecule loves oil and the other one loves water.

Besides holding formulas together, it also leaves a silky and lightweight feel on skin without the greasiness. A manufacturer also claims it can help with the controlled release of active ingredients.

The CIR Expert Panel found this ingredient to not be sensitizing in concentrations up to 15% in human maximazation testing and dimethicone-based compounds were not comedogenic.

It has a high molecular weight well above 1,000 g/mol which means it limits meaningful skin penetration.

A 2019 study specifically tested this ingredient and found no observable Malassezia growth in its presence.

Cyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.

Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.

The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics

There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.

Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.

The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.

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.

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate (long name, huh?) is a synthetic antioxidant.

It is used to help stabilize other antioxidants or prevent the color from changing in a product.

As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules are capable of damaging our cells and other genetic material. Thus, antioxidants may reduce the signs of aging.

This ingredient is oil-soluble.

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.

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.

You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.

You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.

You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THD) is a stable and oil-soluble form of Vitamin C.

THD is special in that it has the ability to travel deeper into skin than traditional ascorbic acid while maintaining the same skin benefits (double win!).

Because it’s oil-soluble, THD dives deep into your skin’s fatty layers (think ceramides and cholesterol) to fight off the kind of free radicals that mess with your skin barrier. This makes it a great pair with water-based vitamin C (ascorbic acid) that mainly works on the surface.

Even at just 0.1%, THD is already showing great antioxidant activity. When used up to 2%, it helps keep your skin happy and calm, especially when it’s stressed from pollution or sun.

Want to fade dark spots or tackle hyperpigmentation? You’ll want 5% or more. Pairing it with brightening buddies like niacinamide or licorice root gives even better results. One study even used 30% THD with other brighteners and saw real results on stubborn discoloration, even in melasma-prone skin.

A note on THD: It’s has a slightly silky, oily texture and usually shows up colorless or pale yellow (though the exact shade can vary by supplier).

While you can sneak it into water-based formulas, it really shines when paired with silicones or oils, which help your skin soak it up better.

THD is pretty stable, but it’s still vulnerable to degradation like ascorbic acid. Too much light or heat (above 113°F / 45°C) can break it down over time. Go for dark and opaque packaging that keeps it safe and shady!

Read more about other types of Vitamin C:

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

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.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

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.

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%.

Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract comes from the vanilla orchid native to central America. It is a skin-soothing ingredient.

This ingredient is skin-soothing and contains polyphenols that give it antioxidant properties.

This ingredient is not known to sensitize or irritate skin (unlike Vanilla Tahitensis). Vanilla tahitensis has shown to irritate skin in low amounts.

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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