Ella UV Protector Day Gel SPF 30
77/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Ella UV Protector Day Gel SPF 30 is a hybrid gel pairing ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and a modern benzotriazole filter with titanium dioxide. It wears lightweight with a balanced finish, does not commonly sting the eyes, and reads low on breakout risk. White cast is medium, so it may need blending on deeper skin tones. With good protection and a score of 76.5/100, it is a solid everyday gel sunscreen.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
75
- +17.1 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #4, UV filter
- +31.4 Titanium Dioxide at #6, UV filter (UVA1 +4.8)
- +38.4 Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol at #8, UV filter (UVA1 +14.4)
- −13.1 UVB coverage saturated
- +1 Label claims (SPF 30)
☢️
Health safety
High
64
- +100 Starting score
- −36 Octinoxate at #4 (regulatory/evidence concern)
👻
White cast
Medium
59
- +100 Starting score
- −35 Titanium Dioxide at #6
- −6 Tinosorb M at #8
🔥
Eye sting
Low
89
- +100 Starting score
- −11 Octinoxate at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
76
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Titanium Dioxide at #6
- −8 Stearic Acid at #2, rich gel-network thickener
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
96
- +100 Starting score
- −4 Glyceryl Stearate SE at #12, moderate comedogenic signal
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
68
- +100 Starting score
- −14 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate SE)
- −18 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
👕
Fabric stains
Low
90
- +100 Starting score
- −10 Titanium Dioxide at #6, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- ← 5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- → 16 Glycerin at #3, the anchor humectant
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- ← 2 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Xanthan Gum)
- ← 3.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
- ← 6 High mineral load at #6 greys under foundation
🌊
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
Full ingredient list (14)
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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1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 8 rich gel-network thickener
- ↑ 18 minor malassezia feeder
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3 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 16 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate)
- ↑ 17.1 UV protection
- ↑ 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide)
- ↑ 31.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 10 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- pills ← 6 High mineral load greys under foundation
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7 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 6 sebum-absorbing powder
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb M), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 38.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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11 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 4 moderate comedogenic signal
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
Does Ella UV Protector Day Gel leave a white cast?
White cast is rated medium, so it may need a little blending on deeper skin tones. It does not commonly sting the eyes and has a balanced finish.
Mineral or chemical?
It is a hybrid, pairing ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and a modern benzotriazole filter with titanium dioxide. It reads low on breakout risk.
Is the Ella UV Protector Day Gel SPF 30 good?
It scores 76.5/100 with good protection. The lightweight gel makes it a solid everyday sunscreen.