Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum SPF 50+ Facial Sunscreen With Collagen Peptide Versus Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF 50+

Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum SPF 50+ Facial Sunscreen With Collagen Peptide Versus Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF 50+

This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging.

This hybrid 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

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%

Homosalate 7%

Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%

Octocrylene 7%

Water

Glycerin

C15-19 Alkane

Propanediol

C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer

Tocopherol

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Butylene Glycol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Sclerotium Gum

Hydroxyacetophenone

Caprylyl Glycol

Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate

Glyceryl Stearate

Jojoba Esters

Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax

Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Carbomer

Sodium Lactate

Sodium Hydroxide

Polysorbate 20

Polyglycerin-3

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 7%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 7%, Water, Glycerin, C15-19 Alkane, Propanediol, C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer, Tocopherol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sclerotium Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Glyceryl Stearate, Jojoba Esters, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Carbomer, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 20, Polyglycerin-3, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate

Dimethicone

Drometrizole Trisiloxane

Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid

Propylene Glycol

Titanium Dioxide

Alcohol Denat.

Triethanolamine

Stearic Acid

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Nylon-12

Palmitic Acid

PEG-100 Stearate

Phenoxyethanol

Cetyl Alcohol

Cellulose

Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine

Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate

Citric Acid

Aluminum Hydroxide

Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate

Tromethamine

Scutellaria Baicalensis Extract

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer

Isohexadecane

Xanthan Gum

Myristic Acid

Disodium EDTA

Adenosine

Polysorbate 80

Arginine

Mannitol

Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate

Rna

Pyridoxine Hcl

Sorbitan Oleate

Sorbitol

Pentylene Glycol

BHT

Histidine Hcl

Zea Mays Kernel Extract

Sodium Chloride

Yeast Extract

Phenylalanine

Mentha Piperita Extract

Rosa Gallica Flower Extract

Tyrosine

Sorbic Acid

Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Alcohol Denat., Triethanolamine, Stearic Acid, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Nylon-12, Palmitic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cellulose, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Citric Acid, Aluminum Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate, Carbomer, Tocopherol, Tromethamine, Scutellaria Baicalensis Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Xanthan Gum, Myristic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Adenosine, Polysorbate 80, Arginine, Mannitol, Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate, Rna, Pyridoxine Hcl, Sorbitan Oleate, Sorbitol, Pentylene Glycol, BHT, Histidine Hcl, Zea Mays Kernel Extract, Sodium Chloride, Yeast Extract, Phenylalanine, Mentha Piperita Extract, Rosa Gallica Flower Extract, Tyrosine, Sorbic Acid

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.

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

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.

Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.

Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.

This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.

A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.

Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

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.

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