We are at No 13 on #Sephora USA’s sunscreen list.
This sunscreen is the second sunscreen stick after the Shiseido Clear Sunscreen Stick SPF 50 on the list. Apart from the price, the biggest difference by far is the composition of the products – Shiseido is about the sensorial experience of using sunscreen. However the most notable difference is definitely by far, the preservative system
Supergoop! despite being an anhydrous product that will face a high degree of contamination does not have an identifiable preservative system – happy to be corrected and please do so if I am wrong…See my blog below for the Shiseido formula breakdown.
The Ingredient List…
Avobenzone 3%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 10% Inactive: C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate , Calendula Officinalis Extract, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dibutyl Ethylhexanol Glutamide, Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Isododecane, Isohexadecane, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Octyldodecanol, Pentaclethra Macroloba Oil, Polyester-8, Tocopherol.
1) What are the UV filters?
UV Filters are Avobenzone 3%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 10%. The only filter against UVA radiation is Avobenzone and as this is notoriously photounstable (essentially starts to breakdown as soon as it comes out of a tube) its stabilised by the huge % of Octocrylene.
Owing to Avobenzone’s light-sensitivity, the product also has “a unique stabilizer for light sensitive ingredients” especially for UV filters.
The UVB filters are Octisalate (weak UVB filter) and Octocrylene (a much stronger UVB filter).
2) What is the type of sunscreen?
This sunscreen is anhydrous and therefore, I am looking for a thickener or an oil gelling agent, which comes in the form of a composite ingredient with the INCI name (Dibutyl Ethylhexanol Glutamide (and) Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide (and) Octyldodecanol)
3) What are the Emollients/Solvents?
Many of the emollients, which are not heat sensitive have aspects that make them attract. For example,
- Assist in the dissolution of UV filters (e.g., Isododecane, Isohexadecane, Dicaprylyl Carbonate)
- Enhance the water resistance of the sunscreen, making sunscreen more robust (e.g. Polyester-8)
- Fast-spreading + drying emollients that improve the sensory performance of final formulations (e.g. Dicaprylyl Carbonate)
- Anti-inflammatory oils/extracts (e.g., Calendula Officinalis Extract,Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, and Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil)
- Anti-oxidants to fight free radicals (e.g. Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Pentaclethra Macroloba Oil)
4) Preservative system?
There is no preservative system per se, but Tocopherol is added to extend the shelf-life of this oil heavy sunscreen stick by delaying rancidity