Marcelle Multi-Defense Cream SPF 15
49/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Marcelle Multi-Defense Cream is an SPF 15 daily cream using older-style chemical filters including Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Menthyl Anthranilate, and Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid. It has a balanced, lightweight finish with low white cast and low pore-clogging potential, and does not sting. Protection is rated weak, since SPF 15 offers only limited coverage, so it suits light incidental exposure rather than extended sun.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Weak
25
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #1, UV filter
- +10 Menthyl Anthranilate at #2, UV filter (UVA1 +2)
- +14 Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid at #3, UV filter
- ×0.6 Almost no UVA1, poor aging protection
☢️
Health safety
Low
19
- +100 Starting score
- −36 Octinoxate at #1 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −4.9 Meradimate at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −40 Isobutylparaben at #31, EU-banned paraben
- −12 Butylparaben at #27, endocrine-scrutinized preservative
- −10 Propylparaben at #30, endocrine-scrutinized preservative
- −7 Retinyl Palmitate at #29, disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
- +29 Shelf-chemistry block capped
🔥
Eye sting
Low
77
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Octinoxate at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −7 Ensulizole at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
92
- +100 Starting score
- −6 Stearyl Stearate at #8, wax film
- −2 Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil at #20, butter/occlusive fat
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
49
- +100 Starting score
- −14 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil)
- −32 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Stearyl Stearate, PEG-150 Distearate, Laureth-23)
- −5 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Nylon-12)
- → 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #19, hyaluronic family
- → 1 Humectant polyols
- → 2 1 emollient lipids (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil)
- → 2 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Nylon-12)
- → 3 1 emollient lipids (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +4 1 water-locking waxes
Full ingredient list (31)
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 (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 18 UV protection
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
UV filter
- ↑ 10 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 4.9 Meradimate, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
-
Legacy UV filter (Ensulizole), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 14 UV protection
- ↑ 7 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
4 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 2 → nourishing light emollient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 6 wax film
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
- ↑ 4 wax water lock
-
Plant oil, an emollient
- 2 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 3 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
pH adjuster
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
12 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 5 minor malassezia feeder
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
15 Nylon-12
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
16 Laureth-23
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
18 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
-
Plant oil, an emollient
- ↑ 2 butter/occlusive fat
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
22 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
27 Butylparaben
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
- ↓ 12 endocrine-scrutinized preservative
-
28 Ethylparaben
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↓ 7 disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
- ↓ 10 endocrine-scrutinized preservative
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
- ↓ 40 EU-banned paraben
What SPF is the Marcelle Multi-Defense Cream SPF 15?
It is rated SPF 15. Protection is rated weak, since SPF 15 offers only limited coverage, so it suits light incidental sun rather than extended exposure.
Does the Marcelle Multi-Defense Cream SPF 15 leave a white cast?
White cast is generally low. It uses chemical filters, so it tends to wear clear with a balanced finish.
Is this a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
It is a chemical sunscreen, using older-style filters such as Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate and Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid.