Educational guide
Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion SPF 50+ Versus Summer Fridays ShadeDrops Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Mineral Milk Sunscreen
Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion SPF 50+ Versus Summer Fridays ShadeDrops Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Mineral Milk Sunscreen This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging. This hybrid sunscreen covers the full U
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Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion SPF 50+ Versus Summer Fridays ShadeDrops Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Mineral Milk Sunscreen
This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging.
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 2.3%
Homosalate 10%
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
Octocrylene 5%
Water
Diisopropyl Sebacate
Talc
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Dimethicone
PEG/PPG-9/2 Dimethyl Ether
Sd Alcohol 40-B
Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Triethylhexanoin
Glycerin
Dextrin Palmitate
Sucrose Tetrastearate Triacetate
Isododecane
PPG-3 Dipivalate
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Silica
Sodium Chloride
PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether
Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract
PPG-17
Disteardimonium Hectorite
Calcium Stearate
Isostearic Acid
Palmitic Acid
Trisodium EDTA
Alcohol
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
PEG-6
BHT
Tocopherol
Butylene Glycol
Stearic Acid
Sodium Metabisulfite
Syzygium Jambos Leaf Extract
Polysilicone-2
Methylparaben
Parfum
Iron Oxides
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.3%, Homosalate 10%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 5%, Water, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Talc, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, PEG/PPG-9/2 Dimethyl Ether, Sd Alcohol 40-B, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Triethylhexanoin, Glycerin, Dextrin Palmitate, Sucrose Tetrastearate Triacetate, Isododecane, PPG-3 Dipivalate, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Silica, Sodium Chloride, PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether, Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, PPG-17, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Calcium Stearate, Isostearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Trisodium EDTA, Alcohol, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, PEG-6, BHT, Tocopherol, Butylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, Syzygium Jambos Leaf Extract, Polysilicone-2, Methylparaben, Parfum, Iron Oxides
Zinc Oxide 9.4%
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Tocopheryl Acetate
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Caramel
Polyester-5
Squalane
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Bisabolol
Phospholipids
Ethyl Ferulate
Urea
Ethylhexylglycerin
Gluconolactone
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Benzyl Alcohol
Sodium Benzoate
Sorbic Acid
Chlorphenesin
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.
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.
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.
Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
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!