Missha All Around Safe Block Soft Finish Sun Milk SPF50+ PA+++ Versus Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Ultra-Sheer Daily Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 30

Missha All Around Safe Block Soft Finish Sun Milk SPF50+ PA+++ Versus Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Ultra-Sheer Daily Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 30

This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.

This oil-control day moisturizer is formulated around Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract to balance excess oil and soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Hydrolyzed Chestnut Extract

Cyclopentasiloxane

Silica

Zinc Oxide

Dipropylene Glycol

Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone

Isopropyl Palmitate

Ethylhexyl Salicylate

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate

Caprylyl Methicone

Titanium Dioxide

Alcohol Denat.

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer

Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer

Limonia Acidissima Extract

Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract

Verbena Officinalis Leaf Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract

Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract

Psidium Guajava Leaf Extract

Flower Extract

Biosaccharide Gum-4

Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine

Magnesium Sulfate

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Dimethicone

Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate

Quaternium-18 Bentonite

Aluminum Hydroxide

Stearic Acid

Hydrogen Dimethicone

Water

Silica Dimethyl Silylate

Sodium Benzoate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Potassium Sorbate

Polyhydroxystearic Acid

Isopropyl Myristate

Isostearic Acid

Lecithin

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate

Disodium EDTA

Phenoxyethanol

CI 77491

CI 77492

Hexyl Cinnamal

Benzyl Salicylate

Hydrolyzed Chestnut Extract, Cyclopentasiloxane, Silica, Zinc Oxide, Dipropylene Glycol, Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone, Isopropyl Palmitate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Caprylyl Methicone, Titanium Dioxide, Alcohol Denat., C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Limonia Acidissima Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract, Verbena Officinalis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract, Psidium Guajava Leaf Extract, Flower Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Magnesium Sulfate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Quaternium-18 Bentonite, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Water, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Potassium Sorbate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Isopropyl Myristate, Isostearic Acid, Lecithin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77491, CI 77492, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate

Homosalate

Butylene Glycol

Benzophenone-3

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane

Octocrylene

Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate

Cetyl Dimethicone

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Phospholipids

Superoxide Dismutase

Adenosine

Tocopherol

Bisabolol

Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Panthenol

Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract

Salix Alba Bark Extract

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Sodium Hydroxide

Steareth-21

Steareth-2

Polysorbate 20

Sorbic Acid

Water, Homosalate, Butylene Glycol, Benzophenone-3, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Silica, Octocrylene, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Cetyl Dimethicone, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Phospholipids, Superoxide Dismutase, Adenosine, Tocopherol, Bisabolol, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Panthenol, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Hydroxide, Steareth-21, Steareth-2, Polysorbate 20, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

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%.

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.

Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.

Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.

The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.

It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.

In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.

Titanium Dioxide (TD) is a mineral UV filter widely used in sunscreens and cosmetics.

It's one of only two UV filters officially classified as "mineral" by regulatory agencies (the other being Zinc Oxide).

A really common myth is that mineral filters work by reflecting UV light off your skin like tiny mirrors.

They don't only do that; modern research shows TD protects mostly by absorbing UV radiation, the same way chemical filters do.

When researchers measured this, reflection accounted for only about 4-5% of the protection (and less than SPF 2 on its own). The other ~95% comes from absorption: the UV photons hit the particle and their energy gets soaked up by its semiconductor band gap rather than bouncing off.

So "reflects vs. absorbs" was never really the right way to split mineral from chemical filters.

TD gives broad-spectrum protection that's strongest in the UVB and UVA-2 range and weaker in the UVA-1 range. Its UVA protection isn't quite as strong as Zinc Oxide's which is why you'll often see the two paired together.

Together, they make a solid broad-spectrum system.

TD is a great pick for sensitive, acne-prone, or redness-prone skin because it's non-irritating and chemically inert. Regulatory reviews classify it as a non-sensitizer and mild-to-non-irritant.

It's also unlikely to cause the "eye sting" some chemical filters are known for.

The main trade-off is cosmetic; TD can leave a white cast and has a thicker texture. This is why mineral sunscreens are often less cosmetically elegant than chemical or hybrid formulas (and harder to shade-match on deeper skin tones).

Formulators often use micronized or nano-sized TD to cut down on white case and improve spreadability. Smaller particles scatter less visible light so the formula looks less chalky while still filtering UV.

TD is almost always bundled with coatings like Alumina, Silica, Stearic Acid, or Dimethicone. These coatings do two important jobs:

TD can be used at up to 25% in a finished sunscreen; this is the regulatory ceiling in both the US and the EU.

In practice, the amount in any given product varies a lot depending on the target SPF and whether it's paired with other UV filters.

TD is one of the most heavily vetted sunscreen ingredients out there. It is approved as a UV filter in all major markets worldwide, including the US, EU, UK, Japan, Korea, China, Australia, and Canada.

The safety evidence is solid. There was an old worry that nano particles might absorb through skin into the body but multiple studies (including on damaged, sunburned, and UV-irradiated skin) have shown that TD stays on the surface and the layer of dead skin cells on top of everything else.

There's also no evidence of carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, or reproductive toxicity from dermal exposure of this ingredient.

For those who have seen the headline about a 2022 EU ban on TD, that was on TD as a food additive (a complete separate use from topical sunscreen).

There are ongoing questions about how nano-TD might affect marine ecosystems. As of now, there has been no conclusive evidence that any form of TD (or any other sunscreen filter) harms coral reefs or marine life.

The science is still developing and it's a space worth watching rather than packing over.

However, several destinations have reef-safety sunscreen rules that restrict certain chemical filters and steer visitors toward mineral, non-nano options. If you're traveling somewhere with these rules, a non-nano mineral sunscreen is the safe bet.

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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