Alchimie Forever Protective Day Cream SPF 23
63/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Alchimie Forever Protective Day Cream SPF 23 is a chemical sunscreen using an older-generation filter set of homosalate, octocrylene, ethylhexyl salicylate and avobenzone. It has a balanced finish, stays lightweight and keeps white cast low, but its high sting risk means it may not suit very sensitive or easily irritated skin. Pore-clogging risk is generally low and it sits okay under makeup. Scoring 63.1/100 with good protection, it is a moderate pick best for those who do not react to the older filters.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
58
- +12 Homosalate at #1, UV filter
- +16 Octocrylene at #2, UV filter
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate 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 #1 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Medium
59
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −20 6 declared fragrance allergens; EU-banned: Butylphenyl Methylpropional
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
High
28
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Octisalate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
- −8 5 declared fragrance allergens
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
68
- +100 Starting score
- −14 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil)
- −18 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate)
- +0 Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil at #18, jojoba wax ester, fungal-acne exception (not penalized)
👕
Fabric stains
High
30
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #4, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #2, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
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Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate)
- ← 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 10 Glycerin at #6, the anchor humectant
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate)
- ← 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 3 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
- ← 3 Humectant syrup tackiness
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate 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.
- ✨ Vitamin E
Full ingredient list (32)
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 (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 12 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
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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 (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
-
5 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
6 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
10 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
pH adjuster
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Botanical extract
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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25 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
26 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
28 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
30 Citronellol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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31 Limonene
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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Fragrance component, a declared allergen
What SPF is the Alchimie Forever Protective Day Cream?
It is SPF 23, which the rating measures as good protection. That makes it a reasonable daily face cream with sun defense.
Is the Alchimie Forever Protective Day Cream SPF 23 mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen, built on older-generation filters: homosalate, octocrylene, ethylhexyl salicylate and avobenzone.
Is it good for sensitive skin?
Its sting risk is rated high, so it may not be the best choice for very sensitive or easily irritated skin. White cast and pore-clogging risk, however, are both generally low.