Skin science article
Naked Sundays Collagen Glow 100% Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ Versus Paula's Choice Resist Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50
Naked Sundays Collagen Glow 100% Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ Versus Paula's Choice Resist Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50 This mineral sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50. This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV rang
Naked Sundays Collagen Glow 100% Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ Versus Paula's Choice Resist Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50
This mineral sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
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
Zinc Oxide 22.75%
Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Cetearyl Alcohol
Cetearyl Glucoside
Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Gluconolactone
Glycerin
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Iron Oxides
Isostearic Acid
Octyldodecanol
PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Phenoxyethanol
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Proline
Water
Rice Amino Acids
Sodium Benzoate
Sodium Chloride
Xanthan Gum
Zinc Oxide 22.75%, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Gluconolactone, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Iron Oxides, Isostearic Acid, Octyldodecanol, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Proline, Water, Rice Amino Acids, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Xanthan Gum
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2%
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
Octocrylene 2%
Silica
Dimethicone
Tocopherol
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
Peucedanum Graveolens Extract
Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract
Avena Sativa Bran Extract
Punica Granatum Extract
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Titanium Dioxide
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Sodium Carbomer
Benzyl Alcohol
Potassium Sorbate
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2%, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 2%, Water, Glycerin, Silica, Dimethicone, Tocopherol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Peucedanum Graveolens Extract, Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract, Avena Sativa Bran Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Titanium Dioxide, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Carbomer, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.