Biossance Squalane + Zinc Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 PA +++ Versus Vichy Capital Soleil Anti-Aging Sunscreen SPF 50

Biossance Squalane + Zinc Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 PA +++ Versus Vichy Capital Soleil Anti-Aging Sunscreen SPF 50

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

This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging.

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

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%

Homosalate 10%

Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%

Octocrylene 5%

Cyclopentasiloxane

Alcohol Denat.

Silica

Dicaprylyl Ether

Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer

PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate

Dimethicone

Cyclohexasiloxane

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Nylon-12

Butylene Glycol

Caprylyl Glycol

Citric Acid

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Disodium EDTA

Disteardimonium Hectorite

Parfum

Isostearyl Alcohol

Lauryl PEG/PPG-18/18 Methicone

P-Anisic Acid

PEG-8 Laurate

Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate

Potassium Sorbate

Propylene Carbonate

Sodium Benzoate

Sodium Chloride

Sodium Dodecylbenzenesulfonate

Tocopherol

Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 10%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 5%, Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Alcohol Denat., Silica, Dicaprylyl Ether, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Dimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Glycerin, Nylon-12, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Disodium EDTA, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Parfum, Isostearyl Alcohol, Lauryl PEG/PPG-18/18 Methicone, P-Anisic Acid, PEG-8 Laurate, Phenoxyethanol, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Potassium Sorbate, Propylene Carbonate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Tocopherol, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

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.

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!

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