Biossance Squalane + Zinc Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 PA +++ Versus Avène Mineral Fluid SPF 50+

Biossance Squalane + Zinc Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 PA +++ Versus Avène Mineral Fluid SPF 50+ Detailed comparison of Biossance Squalane + Zinc Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 PA +++ versus Avène Mineral Fluid SPF 50+. This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~97% of UVB at SPF 30. This mineral sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50. 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 Titanium Dioxide 11.4% Zinc Oxide 14.6% Coco-Caprylate/Caprate Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate Isopropyl Palmitate Isodecyl Neopentanoate Isododecane Isohexadecane Ptfe Triethylhexanoin Dicaprylyl Ether PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate Alumina Stearic Acid Caprylyl Glycol PEG-45/Dodecyl Glycol Copolymer Silica Benzoic Acid Disodium EDTA Disteardimonium Hectorite Hectorite Glyceryl Behenate Glyceryl Dibehenate Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate Polyamide-3 Sodium Chloride Tocopherol Tocopheryl Glucoside Tribehenin Triethoxycaprylylsilane Titanium Dioxide 11.4%, Zinc Oxide 14.6%, Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Isododecane, Isohexadecane, Ptfe, Triethylhexanoin, Dicaprylyl Ether, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Alumina, Stearic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-45/Dodecyl Glycol Copolymer, Silica, Benzoic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Disodium EDTA, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Hectorite, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Polyamide-3, Sodium Chloride, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Tribehenin, Triethoxycaprylylsilane Be the first to review These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel. While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns. Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source. This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out. This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%. 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! Zinc Oxide (ZO) is a mineral broad-spectrum UV filter and the broadest-spectrum filter recognized by the FDA. It covers everything from UVB through to long-wave UVA. On top of sun protection, it has skin protectant and skin-soothing properties too. Here's a myth worth busting: mineral filters are usually described as working by "reflecting" or "bouncing" UV off your skin. That's mostly not true: when researchers actually measured it, ZO and Titanium Dioxide reflect only about 4-5% of UV (less than SPF 2 worth of protection). The vast majority of the work (~95%) is done by absorption, similar to chemical UV filters. ZO is a semiconductor that absorbs UV photos through its energy band gap. So the old "physical blocker vs. chemical absorber" framing is really an oversimplification. Zinc Oxide is one of the most effective broad-spectrum UV filters out there. It protects across UVB, UVA2, and UVA1 with a flat, even absorption curve across the whole UVA-UVB range. That uniform UVA coverage is its standout feature; titanium dioxide skews more toward UVB as its particle size drops so ZO gives more consistent and exte