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Water

What Water is & what it does

Purified water, the base solvent of most sunscreens, in which water-soluble ingredients dissolve and the emulsion is built. It carries actives to the skin and largely determines a product's lightness and feel.

What is Aqua / Water in an ingredient list?

Aqua is simply the INCI (Latin) name for purified water, the solvent base most sunscreens and skincare are built on. It dissolves the water-soluble ingredients and carries everything else, which is why it usually tops the list.

Why is water usually the first ingredient?

Ingredients are listed in order of concentration, and water is typically the single largest component of a lotion or fluid sunscreen, often more than half the formula. Seeing "Aqua" first is normal and just tells you it is a water-based product.

Does the water in skincare hydrate your skin?

Not on its own, because water applied to skin mostly evaporates. What keeps skin hydrated are the humectants (like glycerin) and occlusives that hold that water in, with the water acting as the carrier that delivers them.

Is Water natural?

Yes, in the most literal sense it is just purified water. Cosmetic grade is filtered and demineralised to remove impurities and microbes, but it is the same water you know, clean enough to build a stable product on.

Is Water safe to use during pregnancy?

Yes, water is inert and poses no pregnancy concern; it is simply the base most products are built on.

Sunscreens with Water

We rate 7701 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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