Ella UV Intensive Protector Sunscreen SPF 40+
68/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Ella UV Intensive Protector Sunscreen SPF 40+ is a hybrid sunscreen pairing chemical filters such as avobenzone and octocrylene with mineral titanium dioxide. It wears lightweight with a dewy finish and keeps white cast low, though it can sting somewhat and is rated poor as a makeup base. Protection is rated good. The overall score of 68 places it mid-pack.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
69
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #2, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +26.4 Titanium Dioxide at #10, UV filter (UVA1 +4)
- +12.8 Octocrylene at #11, UV filter
- +4.8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #17, UV filter
- +28.8 Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol at #20, UV filter (UVA1 +10.8)
- +12.3 Zinc Oxide at #21, UV filter (UVA1 +5.4)
- −26.1 UVB coverage saturated
- −15.1 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
- +1 Label claims (SPF 40)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
50
- +100 Starting score
- −36 Octinoxate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #11, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #5, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
👻
White cast
Low
72
- +100 Starting score
- −5 Zinc Oxide at #21
- −15 Titanium Dioxide at #10
- −10 Zinc Oxide + Titanium Dioxide together
- −3 Tinosorb M at #20
- +5 Coated minerals (Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Aluminum Hydroxide)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
60
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −7 Octocrylene at #11, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −16 Octinoxate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −1 Octisalate at #17, migrates into eyes with sweat
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
81
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Zinc Oxide at #21
- −6 Titanium Dioxide at #10
- −10 Paraffinum Liquidum at #3, heavy oil
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
96
- +100 Starting score
- −4 Glycine Soja Oil at #9, moderate comedogenic signal
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
59
- +100 Starting score
- −23 2 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Glycine Soja Oil, Lecithin)
- −18 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Laureth-7)
- +0 Paraffinum Liquidum at #3, a safe base that does not feed Malassezia
👕
Fabric stains
High
20
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #5, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #11, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
- −5 Titanium Dioxide at #10, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- −5 Both minerals present, heavier deposit
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- ← 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 10 Glycerin at #4, the anchor humectant
- → 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #26, hyaluronic family
- → 2 1 emollient lipids (Glycine Soja Oil)
✨
Finish
Dewy
MatteDewy
- ← 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 3 1 emollient lipids (Glycine Soja Oil)
- → 8 Occlusives seal moisture in (Paraffinum Liquidum)
💄
Makeup base
Poor
PillsPrimer
- ← 4 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Polyacrylamide)
- ← 12 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
- ← 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.
- ✨ Niacinamide
- ✨ Centella asiatica
Full ingredient list (47)
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.
-
1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 18 UV protection
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
- ↑ 10 heavy oil
- 8 → dewy occlusive
-
4 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
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
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Plant oil, an emollient
- ↑ 4 moderate comedogenic signal
- 2 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 3 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 26.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 5 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
-
11 Octocrylene
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 12.8 UV protection
- ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 7 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- light ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Botanical extract
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
16 Laureth-7
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 4.8 UV protection
- ↑ 1 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
18 Lecithin
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb M), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 28.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
21 Zinc Oxide
Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 12.3 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
41 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
Does Ella UV Intensive Protector SPF 40+ leave a white cast?
White cast is rated low despite the titanium dioxide content. It wears lightweight with a dewy finish.
Is the Ella UV Intensive Protector Sunscreen SPF 40+ mineral or chemical?
It is a hybrid sunscreen, pairing chemical filters such as avobenzone and octocrylene with mineral titanium dioxide.
Can I wear it under makeup?
It is rated poor as a makeup base, and the dewy finish may not suit everyone under foundation. It can also sting somewhat, so apply carefully near the eyes.