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ESPA Optimal Skin ProDefence SPF 15

ESPA SPF 15
ESPA Optimal Skin ProDefence SPF 15

63/100 overall score

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Ingredient & SPF scores

☀️

UV protection

Moderate 42
  • +16 Octocrylene at #2, UV filter
  • +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #3, UV filter
  • +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #7, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
  • ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
  • ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
How we rate uv protection →
☢️

Health safety

Medium 50
  • +100 Starting score
  • −36 Octinoxate at #3 (regulatory/evidence concern)
  • −10.5 Octocrylene at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
  • −3.5 Avobenzone at #7, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
How we rate health safety →
🤧

Allergens

Low 86
  • +100 Starting score
  • −5 3 declared fragrance allergens
  • −6 Essential oils (Citrus Sinensis Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil)
  • −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
How we rate allergens →
👻

White cast

Low 100
  • +100 Starting score
How we rate white cast →
🔥

Eye sting

Medium 39
  • +100 Starting score
  • −16 Avobenzone at #7, migrates into eyes with sweat
  • −22 Octocrylene at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
  • −16 Octinoxate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
  • −1 Volatile alcohol at #44
  • −6 3 declared fragrance allergens
How we rate eye sting →
🪨

Heavy feel

Low 100
  • +100 Starting score
How we rate heavy feel →
🔴

Comedogenic

Low 99
  • +100 Starting score
  • −1 Palmitic Acid at #17, moderate comedogenic signal
How we rate comedogenic →
🍄

Fungal acne

High 39
  • +100 Starting score
  • −12 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 20)
  • −23 2 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Lecithin)
  • −24 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Isoamyl Laurate)
  • −2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Palmitic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
How we rate fungal acne →
👕

Fabric stains

High 30
  • +100 Starting score
  • −45 Avobenzone at #7, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
  • −15 Octocrylene at #2, co-stains alongside avobenzone
  • −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
How we rate fabric stains →
💧

Moisture

Hydrating
LightNourishing
  • ← 2 Volatile alcohol at #44
  • ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
  • → 4 Glycerin at #11, the anchor humectant
  • → 4 1 strong humectants (Sorbitol)
  • → 1 Humectant polyols
  • → 2 1 emollient lipids (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil)
  • → 1 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
How we rate moisture →

Finish

Balanced
MatteDewy
  • ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
  • ← 0.5 Volatile alcohol at #44
  • ← 2 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Isoamyl Laurate)
  • → 3 1 emollient lipids (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil)
How we rate finish →
💄

Makeup base

Okay
PillsPrimer
  • → 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
  • ← 2 Humectant syrup tackiness
How we rate makeup base →
🌊

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.

  • ✨ Vitamin E

Full ingredient list (59)

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. 1 Water

    Solvent base, the water phase

  2. 2 Octocrylene

    Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), high in the list, a primary filter

    • ↑ 16 UV protection
    • ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
    • ↑ 22 migrates into eyes with sweat
    • ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
  3. Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter

    • ↑ 18 UV protection
    • ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
  4. Emollient, softens and smooths skin

    • matte ← 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
    • ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
  5. 5 Propanediol

    Humectant, pulls water into the skin

    • 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
  6. 6 Sorbitol

    Humectant, pulls water into the skin

    • 4 → nourishing humectant
  7. 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
  8. Emollient, softens and smooths skin

    • 1 → nourishing light emollient
  9. Plant oil, an emollient

    • 2 → nourishing emollient lipid
    • 3 → dewy emollient lipid
    • ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
  10. Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin

  11. 11 Glycerin

    Humectant, pulls water into the skin

    • 4 → nourishing the anchor humectant
  12. 12 C12-16 Alcohols

    Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind

  13. 13 Silica

    Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish

    • light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
    • matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
  14. 14 Phenoxyethanol

    Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling

  15. 15 Polysorbate 20

    Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended

    • ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
  16. Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream

  17. 17 Palmitic Acid

    Emollient, softens and smooths skin

    • ↑ 1 moderate comedogenic signal
    • ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
  18. 18 Lecithin

    Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended

    • ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
  19. 19 Sclerotium Gum

    Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream

  20. 20 Xanthan Gum

    Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream

  21. 21 Limonene

    Fragrance component, a declared allergen

  22. Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream

  23. Plant oil, an emollient

  24. Humectant, pulls water into the skin

  25. 25 Algin

    Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream

  26. 26 Chitosan

    Supporting ingredient

  27. 27 Coco-Glucoside

    Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended

  28. 28 Isoamyl Cocoate

    Emollient, softens and smooths skin

  29. 29 Lactic Acid

    pH adjuster

  30. Botanical extract

  31. 31 PVP

    Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance

  32. Botanical extract

  33. 33 Bisabolol

    Soothing, skin-conditioning active

  34. Botanical extract

  35. 35 Benzoic Acid

    Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling

  36. 36 Bergamot

    Supporting ingredient

  37. Botanical extract

  38. Botanical extract

  39. 39 Galactoarabinan

    Humectant, pulls water into the skin

  40. 40 Chlorphenesin

    Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling

  41. 41 Gellan Gum

    Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream

  42. Botanical extract

  43. 43 Mandarin

    Supporting ingredient

  44. 44 Alcohol

    Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes

  45. 45 Sodium Citrate

    pH adjuster

  46. 46 Sodium Benzoate

    Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling

  47. 47 Dehydroacetic Acid

    Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling

  48. Humectant, pulls water into the skin

  49. 49 Potassium Sorbate

    Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling

  50. Supporting ingredient

  51. 51 Disodium EDTA

    Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable

  52. 52 Linalool

    Fragrance component, a declared allergen

  53. Humectant, pulls water into the skin

  54. Botanical extract

  55. Botanical extract

  56. Botanical extract

  57. 57 Tocopherol

    Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin

  58. 58 Citronellol

    Fragrance component, a declared allergen

  59. 59 Sorbic Acid

    Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling

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