Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

Paula's Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30 Versus Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 PA+++

Paula's Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30 Versus Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 PA+++ Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30 versus Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 PA+++. This brightening moisturiz

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Paula's Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30 Versus Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 PA+++ Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30 versus Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 PA+++. This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract and Tetrapeptide-30 to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots. This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging. Water C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate Zinc Oxide Titanium Dioxide Glycerin Isononyl Isononanoate Butylene Glycol Cetearyl Alcohol Potassium Cetyl Phosphate Dimethicone Glyceryl Stearate Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil Tetrapeptide-30 Linoleic Acid Resveratrol Ascorbyl Glucoside Niacinamide Tocopheryl Acetate Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate Bisabolol Tocopherol Phospholipids Lecithin Glycine Soja Sterols Xanthophylls Pullulan Sodium Gluconate Xanthan Gum Sclerotium Gum Alumina Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Citric Acid Triethoxycaprylylsilane C13-14 Isoparaffin Acrylates Copolymer Polyhydroxystearic Acid Caprylyl Glycol Polyacrylamide Ceteareth-20 Aluminum Stearate Laureth-7 Ethylhexylglycerin Phenoxyethanol Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Tetrapeptide-30, Linoleic Acid, Resveratrol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Niacinamide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Bisabolol, Tocopherol, Phospholipids, Lecithin, Glycine Soja Sterols, Xanthophylls, Pullulan, Sodium Gluconate, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Alumina, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citric Acid, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Acrylates Copolymer, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyacrylamide, Ceteareth-20, Aluminum Stearate, Laureth-7, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3% Homosalate 8% Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5% Octocrylene 4% Isododecane Dimethicone Crosspolymer Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer Polymethylsilsesquioxane Isohexadecane Dicaprylyl Carbonate Meadowfoam Estolide Polyester-7 Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Jojoba Esters Mannitol Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract Microcrystalline Cellulose Diatomaceous Earth Zinc Sulfate Silica Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 8%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 4%, Isododecane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Isohexadecane, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Meadowfoam Estolide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyester-7, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Jojoba Esters, Mannitol, Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract, Lecithin, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Diatomaceous Earth, Zinc Sulfate, Silica, Tocopherol These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel. While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns. Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source. This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out. This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%. Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created. Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin. Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on). Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids. Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker: It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers. 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 ingre