Skin science article
Paula's Choice Resist Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50 Versus Thank You Farmer Sun Project Skin Relief Sun Cream SPF50+ PA++++
Paula's Choice Resist Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50 Versus Thank You Farmer Sun Project Skin Relief Sun Cream SPF50+ PA++++ This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50. This chemical sunscreen covers the full
Paula's Choice Resist Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50 Versus Thank You Farmer Sun Project Skin Relief Sun Cream SPF50+ PA++++
This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
This chemical 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 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
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
Dibutyl Adipate
Propanediol
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Ethylhexyl Triazone
Niacinamide
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Caprylyl Methicone
Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
Butylene Glycol
1,2-Hexanediol
Pentylene Glycol
Centella Asiatica Extract
Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract
Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Forsythia Suspensa Fruit Extract
Angelica Gigas Root Extract
Cnidium Officinale Root Extract
Gardenia Jasminoides Fruit Extract
Coptis Japonica Root Extract
Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Behenyl Alcohol
Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Decyl Glucoside
Tromethamine
Carbomer
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Ethylhexylglycerin
Adenosine
T-Butyl Alcohol
Water, Dibutyl Adipate, Propanediol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Niacinamide, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caprylyl Methicone, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Forsythia Suspensa Fruit Extract, Angelica Gigas Root Extract, Cnidium Officinale Root Extract, Gardenia Jasminoides Fruit Extract, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Behenyl Alcohol, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Decyl Glucoside, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, T-Butyl Alcohol, Tocopherol
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.
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!
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.