Tatcha The Silk Sunscreen SPF 50 Weightless Mineral Sunscreen Versus Paula's Choice Resist Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50

Tatcha The Silk Sunscreen SPF 50 Weightless Mineral Sunscreen Versus Paula's Choice Resist Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid 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 10%

Water

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Lauryl PEG-8 Dimethicone

Dimethicone

Isododecane

Tridecyl Salicylate

Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer

Propanediol

Caprylyl Methicone

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Niacinamide

Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate

Silica

Squalane

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract

Hydrolyzed Silk

Bisabolol

Allantoin

Tocopherol

Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract

Arctium Lappa Root Extract

Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Lecithin

Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract

Lactobacillus

Maltodextrin

Caprylyl Glycol

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate

PEG-10

Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate

Propylene Glycol

Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone

Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate

Butylene Glycol

Phosphoric Acid

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Chloride

Hexylene Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

Iron Oxides

Zinc Oxide 10%, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lauryl PEG-8 Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Tridecyl Salicylate, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Propanediol, Caprylyl Methicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Niacinamide, Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Silica, Squalane, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, Hydrolyzed Silk, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus, Maltodextrin, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, PEG-10, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Propylene Glycol, Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Butylene Glycol, Phosphoric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Iron Oxides

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2%

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%

Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%

Octocrylene 2%

Glycerin

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract

Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract

Peucedanum Graveolens Extract

Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract

Avena Sativa Bran Extract

Punica Granatum Extract

Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract

Titanium Dioxide

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Carbomer

Benzyl Alcohol

Sodium Benzoate

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.

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.

Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.

Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.

In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.

There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.

Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.

A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.

The quality of the extract matters a lot here:

Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.

Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).

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.

Hydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.

It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.

This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.

Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.

Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.

A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).

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.

Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.

Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.

The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.

It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.

In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.

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!

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