Skin science article
Naked Sundays Collagen Glow 100% Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ Versus The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Dewy Sunscreen SPF 30
Naked Sundays Collagen Glow 100% Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ Versus The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Dewy Sunscreen SPF 30 This mineral sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50. This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, ligh
Naked Sundays Collagen Glow 100% Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ Versus The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Dewy Sunscreen SPF 30
This mineral sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging.
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
Octocrylene
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
Triheptanoin
Saccharomyces Ferment
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Tromethamine
Glyceryl Caprylate
Propanediol
C9-12 Alkane
Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Dimethicone
Squalane
Hectorite
Lauroyl Lysine
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Dimethiconol
Polysorbate 60
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Oryza Sativa Hull Extract
Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer
Polyglutamic Acid
Sorbitan Isostearate
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract
Hydroxyacetophenone
1,2-Hexanediol
Caprylyl Glycol
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Saccharomyces Lysate
Water, Octocrylene, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Triheptanoin, Saccharomyces Ferment, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Caprylate, Propanediol, C9-12 Alkane, Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Dimethicone, Squalane, Hectorite, Lauroyl Lysine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Dimethiconol, Polysorbate 60, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Oryza Sativa Hull Extract, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglutamic Acid, Sorbitan Isostearate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Saccharomyces Lysate
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.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel.
Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture.
This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating.
Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%.
Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24).
Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne.
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!