Essence Hydro Hero 24h Hydrating Tinted Cream SPF 20
70/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Essence Hydro Hero is a hydrating tinted cream with SPF 20, using the chemical-mineral hybrid filters Ethylhexyl Salicylate and Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine (Tinosorb S). It has a dewy finish, low white cast, and a light, low-weight feel, with a medium breakout-risk rating. It works okay as a makeup base. With a score of 70.0 and only moderate protection driven by the low SPF, it reads more as a light tinted day cream than a dedicated high-protection sunscreen.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Moderate
48
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #2, UV filter
- +45.6 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
👻
White cast
Low
99
- +100 Starting score
- −2 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #32
- +1.4 Tinted formula, pigment masks the cast
🔥
Eye sting
Low
91
- +100 Starting score
- −9 Octisalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
🔴
Comedogenic
Medium
33
- +100 Starting score
- −32 Isopropyl Myristate at #3, heavy comedogenic ester
- −17 Isopropyl Palmitate at #6, heavy comedogenic ester
- −4 Palmitic Acid at #8, moderate comedogenic signal
- −14 2 heavy comedogens high in the list
🍄
Fungal acne
High
40
- +100 Starting score
- −50 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Isopropyl Myristate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate)
- −10 2 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
60
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Iron-oxide pigments at #29, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- → 10 Glycerin at #4, the anchor humectant
- → 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #16, hyaluronic family
- → 1 1 strong humectants (Panthenol)
- → 2 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
✨
Finish
Dewy
MatteDewy
- → 10 2 slippy emollient esters (Isopropyl Myristate, Isopropyl Palmitate)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- ← 5 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.
- ✨ Panthenol (B5)
- ✨ Vitamin E
Full ingredient list (32)
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 (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 8 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 32 heavy comedogenic ester
- 6 → dewy slippy emollient ester
- ↑ 36 feeds malassezia
-
4 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S)
- ↑ 45.6 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 17 heavy comedogenic ester
- 4 → dewy slippy emollient ester
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 2 → nourishing light emollient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 4 moderate comedogenic signal
- ↑ 5 minor malassezia feeder
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 5 minor malassezia feeder
-
10 Propanediol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Botanical extract
-
14 Panthenol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
21 Xylitol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
23 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Supporting ingredient
-
pH adjuster
-
27 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
29 Ci 77491
Colorant or pigment
- ↑ 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
-
30 Ci 77492
Colorant or pigment
-
31 Ci 77499
Colorant or pigment
-
Colorant or pigment
Is Essence Hydro Hero mineral or chemical?
It uses chemical-mineral hybrid filters, Ethylhexyl Salicylate and Tinosorb S (Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine). It is not a pure mineral sunscreen.
Does the Essence Hydro Hero 24h Hydrating Tinted Cream SPF 20 work under makeup and leave a white cast?
White cast is rated low and the tinted cream has a dewy, lightweight feel that sits okay under makeup. It carries a medium breakout-risk rating, so very acne-prone skin should patch test.
Is SPF 20 enough?
With SPF 20 the protection is rated moderate and the overall score is 70.0 out of 100. It reads as a light tinted day cream, so consider a higher SPF for prolonged sun.