Skin science article
Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum SPF 50+ Facial Sunscreen With Collagen Peptide Versus Origins GinZing SPF40 Energy-Boosting Tinted Moisturizer
Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum SPF 50+ Facial Sunscreen With Collagen Peptide Versus Origins GinZing SPF40 Energy-Boosting Tinted Moisturizer This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging. This day moisturizer i
Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum SPF 50+ Facial Sunscreen With Collagen Peptide Versus Origins GinZing SPF40 Energy-Boosting Tinted Moisturizer
This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging.
This day moisturizer is formulated around Panax Ginseng Root Extract and Caffeine to hydrate skin.
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 7.5%
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 2%
Octocrylene 2%
Titanium Dioxide 3%
Zinc Oxide 3%
Cetyl Alcohol
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Dimethicone
Laureth-4
Polyethylene
PEG-100 Stearate
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Limonene
Linalool
Citral
Garcinia Mangostana Peel Extract
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Wax
Castanea Sativa Seed Extract
Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Water
Laminaria Saccharina Extract
Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract
Adenosine Phosphate
Pantethine
Creatine
Hordeum Vulgare Extract
Folic Acid
Tourmaline
Cordyceps Sinensis Extract
Ethylhexylglycerin
Acetyl Carnitine Hcl
Caffeine
Rhodochrosite
Sodium Hyaluronate
Isopropyl Myristate
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Trehalose
Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer
Squalane
Tocopheryl Acetate
Faex Extract
Isostearic Acid
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Dimethicone Silylate
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Nylon-12
Xanthan Gum
Hexylene Glycol
Polysorbate 60
Silica
BHT
Phenoxyethanol
CI 77491
CI 77492
CI 77499
CI 77891
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 2%, Octocrylene 2%, Titanium Dioxide 3%, Zinc Oxide 3%, Water, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dimethicone, Laureth-4, Polyethylene, PEG-100 Stearate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Garcinia Mangostana Peel Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Wax, Castanea Sativa Seed Extract, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Water, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Adenosine Phosphate, Pantethine, Creatine, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Folic Acid, Tourmaline, Cordyceps Sinensis Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acetyl Carnitine Hcl, Caffeine, Rhodochrosite, Sodium Hyaluronate, Isopropyl Myristate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Trehalose, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Squalane, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Faex Extract, Isostearic Acid, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Dimethicone Silylate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Nylon-12, Xanthan Gum, Hexylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Silica, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77891
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.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
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).
Ethylhexyl Salicylate (also called Octisalate or Octyl Salicylate) is an oil-soluble organic UV filter that's been used in sunscreen since the 1950's.
It absorbs UVB light in the 280-320 nm range with a peak absorbance around 306 nm.
You'll often see it paired with other UV filters to boost overall SPF because octisalate is a fairly week filter on its own.
The reason you'll see it so often is because it can help solubilize and stabilize the trickier filters like oxybenzone and avobenzone.
Unlike these filters, octisalate has pretty good photostability and doesn't create skin-damaging free radicals when exposed to sunlight.
The fatty-alcohol part of the molecule also gives it a light, emollient feel so it doubles as a nice texture enhancer.
Usage levels vary around the world:
Safety-wise, this ingredient has a pretty reassuring track record. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) found very low skin penetration in human skin tests and negative results for irritation, phototoxicity, and photoallergy.
The real-world allergy risk is pretty low too; a 2012 European study of 1,031 people recorded only 2 reactions to it (a rate of 0.19%).
You might have seen scary headlines about sunscreen getting into your blood.
In 2019, the FDA found that several chemical filters can absorb through the skin and show up in the bloodstream at small but measurable levels.
Here's the important part: these tiny levels are just a cutoff the FDA uses to decide which ingredients need more testing and doesn't mean anything harmful was found.
The researchers were clear that the results are no reason to stop wearing sunscreen.
Octocrylene is an oil-soluble organic UV filter that mainly absorbs UVB and short wave UVA II light.
Its real superpower is teamwork: octocrylene is remarkably photostable and is most famous for stabilizing avobenzone (the workhorse UVA filter).
This ingredient is commonly used to enhance both UVB and UVA protection due to its unique property in stabilizing avobenzone. It also pulls double duty by boosting water resistance and giving formulas a smooth, spreadable feel.
The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has deemed octocrylene to be safe as a UV-filter at concentrations up to 10% (capped at 9% in propellant sprays). The US also permits it up to 10%.
Two things worth knowing:
You'll usually see this ingredient used in concentrations between 2-10% (higher amounts when used as a stabilizer for avobenzone).
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!