Estée Lauder Daywear Advanced Multi-Protection Anti-Oxidant & UV Defense SPF 50
58/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Estee Lauder Daywear Advanced Multi-Protection Anti-Oxidant & UV Defense SPF 50 is a chemical (old-school) sunscreen built on avobenzone, homosalate, octocrylene and benzophenone-3 with titanium dioxide. It is lightweight with a balanced finish and keeps white cast low, but it may sting strongly, so caution near the eyes is advised. Breakout risk is low. Protection is good, though the score of 57.7/100 is the weakest in this group, making it a below-average choice overall.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
67
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #1, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #3, UV filter
- +15.2 Octocrylene at #4, UV filter
- +20.9 Benzophenone-3 at #5, UV filter
- +9.9 Titanium Dioxide at #70, UV filter (UVA1 +1.5)
- −13.7 UVB coverage saturated
- −9.8 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
Low
2
- +100 Starting score
- −70 Oxybenzone at #5 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −14 Homosalate at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #1, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 2 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
🤧
Allergens
Low
61
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −12 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- −9 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Benzophenone-3, Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
High
24
- +100 Starting score
- −24 Avobenzone at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −15 Octocrylene at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −11 Oxybenzone at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Octisalate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
45
- +100 Starting score
- −12 1 free fatty acids that feed Malassezia (Linoleic Acid)
- −18 2 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Lecithin, Hydrogenated Lecithin)
- −23 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (PEG-10 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate)
- −2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
👕
Fabric stains
High
3
- +100 Starting score
- −50 Avobenzone at #1, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −20 Oxybenzone at #5, yellow stains on white cotton
- −15 Octocrylene at #4, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #70, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- → 1 Glycerin at #32, the anchor humectant
- → 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #40, hyaluronic family
- → 5 5 strong humectants (Sodium PCA, Urea, Trehalose, …)
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Squalane)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 1 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate)
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Squalane)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 2 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 1 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +3 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
Full ingredient list (72)
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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Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 30 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 24 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 50 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 12 UV protection
- ↓ 14 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 8 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene)
- ↑ 15.2 UV protection
- ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 15 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone)
- ↑ 20.9 UV protection
- ↑ 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 20 yellow stains on white cotton
-
6 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Botanical extract
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Supporting ingredient
-
31 Squalane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
-
32 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
33 Sorbitol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
35 Caffeine
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
36 Cholesterol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
38 Lecithin
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
43 Trehalose
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- ↑ 3 film former
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
51 Sodium PCA
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
52 Cyclodextrin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
53 Urea
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
59 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
-
60 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
62 Fumaric Acid
Supporting ingredient
-
Supporting ingredient
-
64 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
67 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
68 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
69 Mica
Colorant or pigment
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 9.9 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 2 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
-
71 Ci 42090
Colorant or pigment
-
72 Ci 19140
Colorant or pigment
Will the Estée Lauder Daywear Advanced Multi-Protection Anti-Oxidant & UV Defense SPF 50 sting my eyes?
It may sting strongly, so apply carefully and keep it away from the eye area, especially on sensitive skin.
Is the Estée Lauder Daywear Advanced Multi-Protection Anti-Oxidant & UV Defense SPF 50 mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical (old-school) sunscreen, using avobenzone, homosalate, octocrylene and benzophenone-3 with some titanium dioxide.
Is it good?
Protection is good at SPF 50, but the score of 57.7/100 is the lowest in this set, making it a below-average choice. The strong stinging potential is a notable drawback.