PCA Skin Sheer Tint Broad Spectrum SPF 45 Versus Ultra Violette Daydream Screen SPF 50 Tinted Veil

PCA Skin Sheer Tint Broad Spectrum SPF 45 Versus Ultra Violette Daydream Screen SPF 50 Tinted Veil

This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 45.

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

Titanium Dioxide 7.6%

Zinc Oxide 8%

Alumina

Butyloctyl Salicylate

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Caprylyl Glycol

Dimethicone

Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hexylene Glycol

Hydrogen Dimethicone

Iron Oxides

Isododecane

Jojoba Esters

Methyl Methacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer

Octyldodecanol

PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone

Phenoxyethanol

Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Sodium Chloride

Triethoxycaprylylsilane

Water

Titanium Dioxide 7.6%, Zinc Oxide 8%, Alumina, Butyloctyl Salicylate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Iron Oxides, Isododecane, Jojoba Esters, Methyl Methacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer, Octyldodecanol, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Sodium Chloride, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Water

Homosalate

Dicaprylyl Ether

Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol

Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine

Propanediol

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Cetyl Alcohol

Ethylhexyl Triazone

Glycerin

Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate

Lauryl Glucoside

Oryza Sativa Bran Wax

Microcrystalline Cellulose

Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate

Hydroxyacetophenone

Decyl Glucoside

Saccharide Isomerate

Cellulose Gum

Polyhydroxystearic Acid

Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate

Propylene Glycol

Disodium EDTA

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Citrate

Citric Acid

CI 77891

Water, Homosalate, Octyldodecanol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Lauryl Glucoside, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Decyl Glucoside, Saccharide Isomerate, Cellulose Gum, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, CI 77891, Iron Oxides

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

Octyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).

It is:

You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.

This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.

Regarding fungal acne: In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.

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.

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!

This ingredient is a combination of red, black, and yellow iron oxide pigments. This combination of colors is usually found in foundation, because it results in a "skin" color.

The EU typically uses CI numbers for colorants when applicable, such as CI 77489. In the US, iron oxides are regulated as color additives and "iron oxides" is the most commonly used name in US cosmetic practice.

A 2021 paper looked at skincare formulations containing iron oxides and found that they reduced transmission of blue light when measured optically. In simple terms, the pigment particles helped block or scatter part of the visible light spectrum in lab testing and the authors suggest this could translate into better protection against blue-light-related skin effects.

There is also clinical and experimental research showing that tinted products containing iron oxides can reduce visible light-induced pigmentation:

Please note, whether a product reduces visible or blue light depends on things like:

In the EU's CosIng database, iron oxides are only listed as a colorant. CosIng groups ingredients by their main cosmetic role, such as colorant, preservative, or UV filter.

Though studies say iron oxides can "attenuate blue light", they're describing an optical property and not an officially recognized cosmetic function.

So CosIng isn’t contradicting the research. It’s just classifying iron oxides by what they officially are: pigments that add color.

Similar Comparisons