Sun Pharma Photostable Gold Matte Finish Sunscreen Gel SPF 55 Versus The Formula rx Hydrashield Vitamin C + Peptide Watery Gel Sunscreen SPF 50

Sun Pharma Photostable Gold Matte Finish Sunscreen Gel SPF 55 Versus The Formula rx Hydrashield Vitamin C + Peptide Watery Gel Sunscreen SPF 50

This chemical sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 55.

This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Cyclopentasiloxane

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Dimethicone

Caprylyl Methicone

PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate

PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone

Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine

Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate

Silica

Lauryl Laurate

Ethylhexyl Triazone

Propylene Glycol

Diazolidinyl Urea

Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

BHT

Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Caprylyl Methicone, PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Silica, Lauryl Laurate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Propylene Glycol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, BHT

Water

Propanediol

Butylene Glycol

Octocrylene

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane

Titanium Dioxide

Centella Asiatica Extract

Ascorbic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Panthenol

Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Gold

Disodium EDTA

Pentapeptide-4

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Glutathione

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sorbitol

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Water, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Octocrylene, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Titanium Dioxide, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Gold, Disodium EDTA, Pentapeptide-4, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glutathione, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbitol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (DHHB) is a chemical UV-A absorber. It is formulated for high UVA protection (320-400 nm).

DHHB is well-liked for:

DHHB has been approved by the EU, Japan, Taiwan, and South America for use up to 10%. Unfortunately, it has not been approved for use in the US or Canada due to slow regulatory processes.

This ingredient is soluble in oils, fats, and lipids.

This ingredient is also known as Octinoxate and is one of the oldest and most widely used chemical UV filters in skincare.

It has a simple job: soap up UVB radiation (290-320 nm), the wavelengths responsible for sunburn and a big chunk of long-term sun damage.

In formulas, it's always paired with a separate UVA filter because octinoxate solely protects skin from UVB.

Because it's an oil-soluble liquid, it's easy to blend into the oil phase of lotions/creams and gives a cosmetically elegant feel.

The one quirk about formulating this ingredient is photostability; the molecule slowly changes shape into a less effective version when sunlight hits it. So the longer you're in the sun, the weaker its protection gets. The drop can be more than 30% in some formulas.

It also doesn't play nice with Avobenzone (the common UVA filter) since avobenzone destabilizes octinoxate and the two degrade each other. But don't worry: brands have solved this issue by adding photostabilizers like Tinosorb S to prevent degradation and keep SPF stable under heavy UV exposure.

The maximum allowed level is 10% in the EU and Australia, 7.5% in the US and Canada, and 20% in Japan.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics up to 10%.

One last thing worth knowing for context:

Octinoxate has been the subject of ongoing review in Europe where the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety's (SCCS) 2025 final opinion is that this ingredient is an endocrine-active substance.

Lab and animal studies suggest it can act a bit like a hormone in the body (mildly mimicking estrogen and slightly blocking male hormones). It's important to know this hasn't really been shown to happen in everyday human use.

This ingredient is also banned in Hawaii over coral reef concerns.

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