Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Sun Defense For Face Spf 50 Pa+++
83/100 overall score
Sign in to see this product's score for your skin.
About this sunscreen
Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Sun Defense For Face SPF 50 PA+++ is a hybrid facial sunscreen combining cinnamate filters with modern options like Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Tinosorb M, Tinosorb S, and Ethylhexyl Triazone. It dries to a matte finish, stays lightweight, and leaves a low white cast, does not sting, and is low on the pore-clogging scale. It works well under makeup. Protection rates excellent and the overall score is 83.2/100, one of the stronger face picks here.
Ingredient & SPF scores
βοΈ
UV protection
Excellent
100
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #2, UV filter
- +14 Isoamyl p-Methoxycinnamate at #3, UV filter
- +34.2 Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate at #4, UV filter (UVA1 +20.9)
- +45.6 Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol at #7, UV filter (UVA1 +17.1)
- +38.4 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #12, UV filter (UVA1 +12.8)
- +13.2 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #13, UV filter
- β42.8 UVB coverage saturated
- β14.8 UVA2 coverage saturated
- β5.8 UVA1 coverage saturated
- +3 Label claims (SPF 50, PA rating)
β’οΈ
Health safety
Medium
54
- +100 Starting score
- β36 Octinoxate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β10 Propylparaben at #53, endocrine-scrutinized preservative
π€§
Allergens
Low
70
- +100 Starting score
- β18 Fragrance
- β12 6 declared fragrance allergens
π»
White cast
Low
88
- +100 Starting score
- β12 Tinosorb M at #7, may look bluish-grey on deeper skin tones
π₯
Eye sting
Low
68
- +100 Starting score
- β16 Octinoxate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β8 Fragrance
- β8 5 declared fragrance allergens
π
Fungal acne
Low
79
- +100 Starting score
- β12 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Sorbitan Stearate)
- β9 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate)
π
Fabric stains
Low
85
- +100 Starting score
- β15 Uvinul A Plus (DHHB) at #4, oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
π§
Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- β 5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- β 6 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- β 1 Glycerin at #16, the anchor humectant
β¨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- β 6 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- β 5 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- β 2 2 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dibutyl Adipate)
- β 3 1 emollient lipids (C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
π
Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- β 5 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- β 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- β 3 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- β 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Sodium Polyacrylate)
π
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +3 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
Full ingredient list (53)
What each ingredient does and how it moves each rating: green helps, red hurts, β / β give the direction, and β / β shift a slider toward its ends (finish, moisture, makeup base). Auto-derived from our scoring rules and the ingredient's position.
-
1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 18 UV protection
- β 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Amiloxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 14 UV protection
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul A Plus)
- β 34.2 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 15 oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light β 5 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte β 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
6 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 6 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb M)
- β 45.6 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 12 may look bluish-grey on deeper skin tones
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte β 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 3 β dewy emollient lipid
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte β 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- β 38.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul T 150), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- β 13.2 UV protection
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
16 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- β 3 film former
-
Plant oil, an emollient
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light β 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte β 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
32 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 12 feeds malassezia
-
38 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
pH adjuster
-
41 Tripeptide-1
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
42 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
44 Citral
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
45 Citronellol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
46 Geraniol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
47 Limonene
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
48 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
49 Ethylparaben
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
51 O-Cymen-5-Ol
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
- β 10 endocrine-scrutinized preservative
Does the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Sun Defense leave a white cast?
No, it is rated low for white cast and dries to a matte finish. It is also rated good under makeup, so it layers well on the face.
Is the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Sun Defense For Face Spf 50 Pa+++ mineral or chemical?
It is a hybrid sunscreen, combining cinnamate filters with modern options like Tinosorb M, Tinosorb S, and Ethylhexyl Triazone.
Is it any good?
Yes. It scores 83.2/100 with an excellent protection rating at SPF 50, one of the stronger face picks in this group. It is lightweight and non-stinging.