CAY SKIN Isle Glow Face Moisturizer with SPF 45 and Niacinamide Versus Summer Fridays ShadeDrops Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Mineral Milk Sunscreen

CAY SKIN Isle Glow Face Moisturizer with SPF 45 and Niacinamide Versus Summer Fridays ShadeDrops Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Mineral Milk Sunscreen

This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 45.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%

Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%

Octocrylene 10%

Water

Butyloctyl Salicylate

Sodium Potassium Aluminum Silicate

Diisopropyl Sebacate

Diisopropyl Adipate

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Lauryl Lactate

Glycerin

Mica

Propanediol

Glyceryl Stearate

Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract

Chondrus Crispus Extract

Panthenol

Niacinamide

Ferulic Acid

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter

Cetyl Phosphate

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Silica

Caprylyl Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Chlorphenesin

Aminomethyl Propanol

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Lactate

Sodium PCA

Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract

Santalum Album Oil

Rosa Damascena Flower Oil

Myroxylon Pereirae Oil

Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Nut/Stem Oil

Coffea Arabica Seed Oil

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil

Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Limonium Gerberi Extract

Limonene

Linalool

Benzyl Benzoate

Titanium Dioxide

Iron Oxides

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 10%, Water, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Sodium Potassium Aluminum Silicate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Diisopropyl Adipate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Lauryl Lactate, Glycerin, Mica, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Ferulic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Cetyl Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Silica, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Chlorphenesin, Aminomethyl Propanol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Santalum Album Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Myroxylon Pereirae Oil, Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Nut/Stem Oil, Coffea Arabica Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil, Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Limonium Gerberi Extract, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides

Zinc Oxide 9.4%

Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer

Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil

Tocopheryl Acetate

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Caramel

Polyester-5

Squalane

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract

Bisabolol

Phospholipids

Tocopherol

Ethyl Ferulate

Urea

Ethylhexylglycerin

Gluconolactone

Triethoxycaprylylsilane

Dimethicone

Sodium Chloride

Benzyl Alcohol

Sorbic Acid

Phenoxyethanol

Zinc Oxide 9.4%, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glycerin, Caramel, Polyester-5, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Bisabolol, Phospholipids, Tocopherol, Ethyl Ferulate, Urea, Ethylhexylglycerin, Gluconolactone, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid, Chlorphenesin, 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.

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.

In cosmetics, it plays several roles:

The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.

This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.

It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.

Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.

This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.

Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.

Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.

The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).

In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.

So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.

Chlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.

Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.

Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.

Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.

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.

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

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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