No 26 on the #sephora #bestselling #sunscreen list (USA version) is this sunscreen by PTR.
Peter Thomas Roth is a brand whose products I have used and have been largely thinking, could I have passed up on this product?
This sunscreen is a complete homegrown US brand – in some other products (e.g.) eye serum it uses Vitamin K that is not permitted in the EU. But hey ho, that’s just an indication of the brands American prestige market positioning.
1) What is the ingredient list like?
Avobenzone 3%, Homosalate 15%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 10%
Inactive Ingredients: Water/Aqua/Eau, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Squalane, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Citrate, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Bioflavonoids, Glycoproteins, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, Panthenol, Fructooligosaccharides, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Ubiquinone, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba (Guar) Gum, Phytic Acid.
1a) What are the UV filters?
Both UVA and UVB have been definitively linked to photoaging and skin cancer. Its vital that sunscreens contain “UV filters” that protect our skin by absorbing, reflecting or scattering UVA and UVB rays.
The UVB filters are: Homosalate (weak filter), Octisalate (weak filter), Octocrylene 10%. Octocrylene provides strong UVB absorbance compared to other UVB filters present AND and is also relatively photostable (ie does not breakdown as soon as it comes out of the tube).
The UVA filter is Avobenzone, which is a gold standard UVA filter but notoriously unstable. Its present in the maximum amount permitted in the USA and its stabilised by the Octocrylene
1b) Formulation breakdown
Very helpfully, the label tells you that the product contains 1.5% VitaGlow-D, and relevant anti-oxidants
- Emulsifiers: Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate (and) Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate (PEG free O/W emulsifier used in suncare formulations), Glyceryl Stearate (co-emulsifier), Cetearyl Alcohol (co-emulsifier)
- Emollient: Squalane
- Additional solvent for Sunscreen filters: ?
- Thickeners: Xanthan Gum, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba (Guar) Gum,
- Actives: Antioxidant CoQ10 (Ubiquinone), Anti-inflammatory (Panthenol) and VitaGlow-D
VitaGlow-D (INCI Name is Fructooligosaccharides (and) Glycoproteins (and) Bioflavonoids (and) Glycerin (and) Pentylene Glycol (and) Xanthan Gum (and) Water
Per manufacturer, “VitaGlow-D is an all day Vitamin D stimulation. VitaGlow-D optimizes the skin’s microenvironment by boosting water reserves and maximizing light use for all day Vitamin D stimulation, epidermal structuring, and increased hydration.”
1c) Preservative system
Finally the preservative system takes a belts and braces approach to protection as follows:
- Preservative 1: Potentially trade name Sunyou® PB (Phenoxyethanol (and) Sodium Benzoate (and) Water (and) Glycerin)
- Preservative 2: Sodium Benzoate (and) Potassium Sorbate (and) Water
- Preservative support
- Tocopherol Acetate (prolongs shelf-life by delaying rancidity of oils),
- Sodium Phytate (chelating agent)
- Phytic Acid (and) Water (chelating agent)
pH adjuster: Citric Acid