Estée Lauder Perfectionist Pro Multi-Defense Aqua Uv Gel Spf 50 With 8 Anti-Oxidants
61/100 overall score
Sign in to see this product's score for your skin.
About this sunscreen
Estee Lauder Perfectionist Pro Multi-Defense Aqua Uv Gel Spf 50 is a chemical gel using older-generation filters: homosalate, ethylhexyl salicylate, avobenzone, oxybenzone, and octocrylene. It has a matte finish, stays lightweight, and shows low white cast, and it works well under makeup. It commonly stings if it gets into the eyes. With a score of 61.3 and good protection, it is a capable daily gel held back by its old-school filters.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
65
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #4, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +20.9 Benzophenone-3 at #6, UV filter
- +15.2 Octocrylene at #7, UV filter
- −8.5 UVB coverage saturated
- −5.5 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
Low
2
- +100 Starting score
- −70 Oxybenzone at #6 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −14 Homosalate at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #7, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #5, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 2 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
🤧
Allergens
Low
91
- +100 Starting score
- −9 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Benzophenone-3, Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
High
20
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −15 Octocrylene at #7, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −11 Oxybenzone at #6, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Octisalate at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −18 Volatile alcohol at #3
- −5 Alcohol high up speeds filter migration
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
70
- +100 Starting score
- −12 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate)
- −18 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraisostearate)
👕
Fabric stains
High
10
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #5, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −20 Oxybenzone at #6, yellow stains on white cotton
- −15 Octocrylene at #7, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- ← 22 Volatile alcohol at #3
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- → 1 Glycerin at #13, the anchor humectant
- → 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #42, hyaluronic family
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Squalane)
✨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- ← 5 Volatile alcohol at #3
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Squalane)
💄
Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- → 10 Quick-setting carrier (alcohol at #3), fast, even canvas
- → 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- ← 1.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +6 2 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for 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.
- ✨ Green tea
Full ingredient list (50)
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 (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 12 UV protection
- ↓ 14 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
- ↑ 5 Alcohol high up speeds filter migration
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- ↑ 7.6 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
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
-
Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone)
- ↑ 20.9 UV protection
- ↑ 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 20 yellow stains on white cotton
-
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
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Botanical extract
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
13 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
21 Sucrose
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
22 Caffeine
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
23 Cholesterol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
25 Squalane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Botanical extract
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 3 film former
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 3 film former
-
41 Carbomer
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
pH adjuster
-
47 Cyclodextrin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
49 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
Does Estee Lauder Perfectionist Pro Aqua UV Gel sting the eyes?
It can. The sting rating is high, so keep it away from the eye area and apply carefully around the face.
Is the Estée Lauder Perfectionist Pro Multi-Defense Aqua Uv Gel Spf 50 With 8 Anti-Oxidants good under makeup and for oily skin?
Yes on both. It has a matte finish, stays lightweight, is rated a good makeup base, and its breakout-trigger rating is low, so it suits oily and combination skin.
Is the Estée Lauder Perfectionist Pro Multi-Defense Aqua Uv Gel Spf 50 With 8 Anti-Oxidants mineral or chemical?
It is chemical, using older-generation filters: homosalate, ethylhexyl salicylate, avobenzone, oxybenzone, and octocrylene. It scores 61.3 with good protection.