Ahava Brightening Cream SPF 20
65/100 overall score
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Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
58
- +16 Octocrylene at #1, UV filter
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #2, UV filter
- +12 Homosalate at #3, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #4, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
☢️
Health safety
Medium
46
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Homosalate at #3 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #1, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
67
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −12 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
36
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Octisalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
99
- +100 Starting score
- −1 Hydrogenated Polydecene at #33, heavy oil
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
55
- +100 Starting score
- −18 2 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil)
- −27 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate)
👕
Fabric stains
High
30
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #4, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #1, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- → 1 Glycerin at #28, the anchor humectant
- → 1 1 strong humectants (Sodium Lactate)
- → 2 2 emollient lipids (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- → 3 3 emollient lipids (Oenothera Biennis Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +3 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
Skincare extras
Beneficial actives this formula contains. Informational only, not part of the rating: their effect depends on a concentration the label does not disclose.
- ✨ Aloe vera
- ✨ Vitamin C
- ✨ Green tea
Full ingredient list (68)
What each ingredient does and how it moves each rating: green helps, red hurts, ↑ / ↓ give the direction, and ← / → shift a slider toward its ends (finish, moisture, makeup base). Auto-derived from our scoring rules and the ingredient's position.
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Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 16 UV protection
- ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 22 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 8 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 12 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone)
- ↑ 28.5 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 45 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
7 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
8 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Filter booster, photostabilizes the UV filters or lifts their SPF
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
19 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
23 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
28 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Botanical extract
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Plant oil, an emollient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 1 heavy oil
-
Supporting ingredient
-
35 Maris Aqua
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Botanical extract
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
38 Myricetin
Supporting ingredient
-
39 Niacinamide
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Plant oil, an emollient
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
44 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Botanical extract
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Botanical extract
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Botanical extract
-
pH adjuster
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 3 film former
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
64 Tris Citrate
Supporting ingredient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
66 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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67 Zinc Pca
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Botanical extract