SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Air-Fit Suncream Plus SPF50+ PA+++ Versus Paula's Choice Extra Care Non-Greasy Sunscreen SPF 50

SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Air-Fit Suncream Plus SPF50+ PA+++ Versus Paula's Choice Extra Care Non-Greasy Sunscreen 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

Centella Asiatica Extract 35.8%

Cyclopentasiloxane

Zinc Oxide

Butyloctyl Salicylate

Titanium Dioxide

Propanediol

Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol

Coptis Chinensis Root Extract

PEG-10 Dimethicone

Niacinamide

Disteardimonium Hectorite

Butylene Glycol

Magnesium Sulfate

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprylic/Capric Glycerides

Dimethicone

Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Aluminum Hydroxide

Stearic Acid

Sorbitan Sesquioleate

Triethoxycaprylylsilane

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Dextrin

Theobroma Cacao Extract

Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil

Water

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Betaine

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Rosa Damascena Flower Oil

Pentylene Glycol

Madecassoside

Citronellol

Geraniol

Linalool

Centella Asiatica Extract 35.8%, Cyclopentasiloxane, Zinc Oxide, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Titanium Dioxide, Propanediol, Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol, Coptis Chinensis Root Extract, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Butylene Glycol, Magnesium Sulfate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Dimethicone, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Water, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Betaine, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Madecassoside, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool

Homosalate 10%

Benzophenone-3 6%

Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%

Octocrylene 2%

PEG-8

Polyethylene

Silica

Picrasma Excelsa Wood Extract

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Retinyl Palmitate

Tocopherol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Bentonite

Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Sodium Polyacrylate

Kaolin

Ethylhexylglycerin

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Hydroxide

Phenoxyethanol

Chlorphenesin

Homosalate 10%, Benzophenone-3 6%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Octocrylene 2%, Water, Butylene Glycol, PEG-8, Polyethylene, Silica, Dimethicone, Picrasma Excelsa Wood Extract, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Titanium Dioxide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Bentonite, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Kaolin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

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.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

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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