EltaMD
UV Shield SPF 45EltaMD
UV Physical SPF 41A sunscreen built around Mineral sunscreen and Chemical sunscreen, for barrier repair and smoothing.
A sunscreen built around Mineral sunscreen, for barrier repair and smoothing.
Brand price
Not recorded
Brand price
Not recorded
At a Glance
They come out differently on Silicone-free, Oil-free and Reef-safe; those rows are shaded. Tap any answer to see why.
Key Ingredients
Chemical sunscreen1
Organic UV filters that absorb UV and release it as heat.
Fatty alcohol1
Waxy fatty alcohols used as emollients and thickeners; unrelated to drying alcohol.
Mineral sunscreen2
Uses zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to absorb and scatter UV rays.
Benefits
Barrier Repair4
Strengthens and restores the skin's natural barrier.
Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Zinc Oxide
Smoothing4
Refines rough or uneven texture.
Cetearyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate
Barrier Repair7
Strengthens and restores the skin's natural barrier.
Canola Oil, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Isopropyl Palmitate, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Tocopherol, Zinc Oxide
Concerns
May Trigger Acne4
Can clog pores or trigger breakouts.
Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Oleth-3 Phosphate
May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis6
May feed the yeast involved in seborrheic dermatitis.
Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Polysorbate 60
May Worsen Keratosis Pilaris4
May clog follicles or strip skin prone to keratosis pilaris.
Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Oleth-3 Phosphate
May Trigger Acne5
Can clog pores or trigger breakouts.
Ethylhexyl Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol
May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis7
May feed the yeast involved in seborrheic dermatitis.
Canola Oil, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate
May Worsen Keratosis Pilaris5
May clog follicles or strip skin prone to keratosis pilaris.
Ethylhexyl Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zinc Oxide (in both products)
UV Filter
1 / 0
- Mineral sunscreen
- Sunscreen
- Reduces Irritation
- Sun Protection
UV Filter
0 / 0
- Chemical sunscreen
- Reef-unsafe UV filter
- Sunscreen
- Sun Protection
Water (in both products)
Skin Conditioning
Isopropyl Palmitate (in both products)
Emollient
4 / 1
- Esters listed as pore-clogging in animal testing only
- Fatty esters (glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate)
- May Trigger Acne
- May Worsen Keratosis Pilaris
- May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis
Ethylhexyl Stearate (in both products)
Emollient
5 / —
- Fatty esters (glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate)
- May Trigger Acne
- May Worsen Keratosis Pilaris
- May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis
Oleth-3 Phosphate (in both products)
Cleansing
2 / 2
- Fatty alcohols (Malassezia)
- May Trigger Acne
- May Worsen Irritation
- May Worsen Keratosis Pilaris
- May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis
Triethoxycaprylylsilane (in both products)
Binding
Cleansing
- Fatty esters (glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate)
- Polysorbates (Tween emulsifiers)
- May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis
Zinc Oxide (in both products)
UV Filter
1 / 0
- Mineral sunscreen
- Sunscreen
- Reduces Irritation
- Sun Protection
Water (in both products)
Skin Conditioning
Skin Conditioning
Isopropyl Palmitate (in both products)
Emollient
4 / 1
- Esters listed as pore-clogging in animal testing only
- Fatty esters (glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate)
- May Trigger Acne
- May Worsen Keratosis Pilaris
- May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis
Ethylhexyl Stearate (in both products)
Emollient
5 / —
- Fatty esters (glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate)
- May Trigger Acne
- May Worsen Keratosis Pilaris
- May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis
Emollient
- Fatty esters (glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate)
- May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis
Oleth-3 Phosphate (in both products)
Cleansing
2 / 2
- Fatty alcohols (Malassezia)
- May Trigger Acne
- May Worsen Irritation
- May Worsen Keratosis Pilaris
- May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Zinc Oxide
Antimicrobial, Bulking, Colorant, Light Stabilizer, Oral Care, Skin Protecting, UV Absorber, UV Filter
Zinc Oxide is a mineral UV filter.
Learn more about Zinc Oxide →Water
Antiplaque, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Aqua (EU),Deionized Water,Distilled Water,Micromatrix Fractile AN,Onsen-Sui (JPN),Purified Water
Learn more about Water →Phenoxyethanol
Antimicrobial, Preservative
Phenoxyethanol is the aromatic ether alcohol that conforms to the formula:
Learn more about Phenoxyethanol →Isopropyl Palmitate
Binding, Fragrance, Perfuming, Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate isn't fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Isopropyl Palmitate →Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Stearate isn't fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl Stearate →Oleth-3 Phosphate
Cleansing
Oleth-3 Phosphate isn't fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Oleth-3 Phosphate →Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Binding
Silane, triethoxyoctyl-
Learn more about Triethoxycaprylylsilane →Citric Acid
Buffering, Chelating, Fragrance
Citric Acid is an AHA.
Learn more about Citric Acid →Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate is vitamin E.
Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate →Polyisobutene
Binding, Film Forming, Viscosity Controlling
Homopolymer of 2-methyl-1 propene
Learn more about Polyisobutene →
Similar Comparisons
Each product against its closest dupes.
