Biossance Squalane + Zinc Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 PA +++ Versus Biossance Squalane + Rose Vegan Lip Balm

Biossance Squalane + Zinc Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 PA +++ Versus Biossance Squalane + Rose Vegan Lip Balm

This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~97% of UVB at SPF 30.

This barrier-repair lip moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Ceramide NP to strengthen the lip barrier and hydrate lips.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Zinc Oxide

Water

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Squalane

Glycerin

Cetearyl Alcohol

Methyl Dihydroabietate

Sorbitan Olivate

Coco-Glucoside

Cetyl Palmitate

Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate

Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside

Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract

Acacia Senegal Gum

Ethyl Ferulate

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Gluconate

Lecithin

Sodium Palmitoyl Proline

Polyhydroxystearic Acid

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

Isostearic Acid

Zinc Oxide, Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Methyl Dihydroabietate, Sorbitan Olivate, Coco-Glucoside, Cetyl Palmitate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Acacia Senegal Gum, Ethyl Ferulate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Gluconate, Lecithin, Sodium Palmitoyl Proline, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Isostearic Acid

Diisostearyl Malate

Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer

Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2

Hydroxystearic/Linolenic/Oleic Polyglycerides

Myristic/Palmitic/Stearic/Ricinoleic/Eicosanedioic Glycerides

Ricinus Communis Seed Oil

Rosa Damascena Flower Wax

Ceramide NP

Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters

Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil

Undaria Pinnatifida Extract

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Jojoba Esters

Tocopherol

Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Glyceryl Caprylate

Glyceryl Undecylenate

Dextrin Palmitate

Diisostearyl Malate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Glycerin, Hydroxystearic/Linolenic/Oleic Polyglycerides, Myristic/Palmitic/Stearic/Ricinoleic/Eicosanedioic Glycerides, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Squalane, Water, Rosa Damascena Flower Wax, Ceramide NP, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Jojoba Esters, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Dextrin Palmitate

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

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%.

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.

Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).

It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.

This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.

Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.

Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.

No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).

Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.

This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.

The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.

Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.

A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.

The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.

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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