Clinique Even Better™ Skin Tone Correcting Moisturizer Broad Spectrum Spf 20 (Old)
67/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Clinique Even Better Skin Tone Correcting Moisturizer SPF 20 is a chemical formula using older-style filters Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, and Octocrylene. It has a matte finish, stays lightweight, and shows low white cast, though it may sting somewhat for sensitive eyes. With only SPF 20 the protection is moderate, and the score is 67.2/100. It is best seen as a tone-correcting moisturizer with light sun protection rather than a dedicated high-SPF sunscreen.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Moderate
49
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #1, UV filter
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #2, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
☢️
Health safety
High
67
- +100 Starting score
- −30 Octocrylene at #3 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
45
- +100 Starting score
- −24 Avobenzone at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Octisalate at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
92
- +100 Starting score
- −2 Polyethylene at #14, wax film
- −6 Cetyl Esters at #12, wax film
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
93
- +100 Starting score
- −7 Myristyl Myristate at #9, heavy comedogenic ester
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
47
- +100 Starting score
- −12 1 free fatty acids that feed Malassezia (Linoleic Acid)
- −41 4 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Myristyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate)
- +0 Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract at #10, ferment, disputed Malassezia trigger (not penalized)
👕
Fabric stains
High
25
- +100 Starting score
- −50 Avobenzone at #2, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #3, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Nylon-12)
- → 1 Glycerin at #34, the anchor humectant
- → 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #46, hyaluronic family
- → 2 2 strong humectants (Betaine, Trehalose)
- → 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Behenyl Alcohol)
✨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- ← 6 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Nylon-12)
- ← 2 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +6 2 water-locking waxes
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 C
Full ingredient list (61)
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.
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 8 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 30 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 24 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 50 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 16 UV protection
- ↑ 22 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
4 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
6 Nylon-12
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 6 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 7 heavy comedogenic ester
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Botanical extract
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
12 Cetyl Esters
Supporting ingredient
- ↑ 6 wax film
- ↑ 4 wax water lock
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
14 Polyethylene
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 wax film
- ↑ 2 wax water lock
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
29 PEG-6
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
30 Cholesterol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
31 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
34 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
36 Steareth-21
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
37 Caffeine
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
38 Sodium Rna
Supporting ingredient
-
39 Cellulose
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
41 Simethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
42 Tromethamine
pH adjuster
-
43 Sucrose
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
48 Trisiloxane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
54 Betaine
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
55 Trehalose
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Supporting ingredient
What SPF is the Clinique Even Better Moisturizer?
It is SPF 20, which provides moderate protection. It is a tone-correcting moisturizer with light sun protection rather than a dedicated high-SPF sunscreen. For strong sun exposure a higher SPF is generally advisable.
Does the Clinique Even Better™ Skin Tone Correcting Moisturizer Broad Spectrum Spf 20 (Old) leave a white cast, and is it good for oily skin?
It shows low white cast and has a matte finish, which generally suits oily skin. It stays lightweight and is low on pore-clogging concerns. It may sting somewhat for sensitive eyes.
Is it mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical formula using older-style filters Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, and Octocrylene. There are no mineral filters. It scores 67.2/100, held back by the low SPF 20.