Educational guide
Summer Fridays ShadeDrops Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Mineral Milk Sunscreen Versus Ultra Violette Clean Screen SPF 30 Fragrance Free Weightless Gel Skinscreen
Summer Fridays ShadeDrops Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Mineral Milk Sunscreen Versus Ultra Violette Clean Screen SPF 30 Fragrance Free Weightless Gel Skinscreen This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~97% of UVB at SPF 30. What's inside Key Ingredi
This guide cannot diagnose a condition or recommend a personal treatment plan. Discuss medical questions with a qualified professional.
Summer Fridays ShadeDrops Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Mineral Milk Sunscreen Versus Ultra Violette Clean Screen SPF 30 Fragrance Free Weightless Gel Skinscreen
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
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
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
Titanium Dioxide 3%
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol 2.25%
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate 1.6%
Butylene Glycol
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Silica
Caprylyl Glycol
Polysorbate 60
Saccharide Isomerate
Decyl Glucoside
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Propylene Glycol
Xanthan Gum
Citric Acid
CI 77491
CI 77492
CI 77499
Titanium Dioxide 3%, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol 2.25%, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate 1.6%, Water, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Silica, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Saccharide Isomerate, Decyl Glucoside, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
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.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
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.
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!