Guerlain L'Essentiel High Perfection - 24H Wear SPF 15
49/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Guerlain L'Essentiel High Perfection 24H Wear SPF 15 is a mineral product using Titanium Dioxide as its sole UV filter. It wears matte and lightweight with a low white cast, and it works reasonably under makeup, which fits its role as a complexion product more than a dedicated sunscreen. It is low for stinging and pore-clogging. The catch is protection: SPF 15 is weak, and the overall score of 49 reflects that this is not enough sun defense on its own.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Weak
19
- +31.4 Titanium Dioxide at #7, UV filter (UVA1 +4.8)
- ×0.6 Almost no UVA1, poor aging protection
🤧
Allergens
Low
70
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −12 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
👻
White cast
Low
87
- +100 Starting score
- −17.5 Titanium Dioxide at #7 (nano)
- −2 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #40
- −15 Pure mineral formula
- +17.3 Iron-oxide undertone, partial masking
- +1.7 PHSA dispersant, fights agglomeration
- +2.3 Coated minerals (Alumina, Aluminum Hydroxide)
🔥
Eye sting
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −4 Volatile alcohol at #10
- −8 Fragrance
- +9 Mineral filter system, low-sting filters
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Fungal acne
Medium
48
- +100 Starting score
- −50 4 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Decaisostearate)
- −2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
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Fabric stains
Medium
50
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Iron-oxide pigments at #37, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
- −10 Titanium Dioxide at #7, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 5 Volatile alcohol at #10
- ← 5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 7 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 16 Glycerin at #3, the anchor humectant
- → 1 Humectant polyols
✨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- ← 6 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 7 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 1 Volatile alcohol at #10
- ← 2 2 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate)
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Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- → 6 Quick-setting carrier (alcohol at #10), fast, even canvas
- → 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- → 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 3.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
- ← 1.5 High mineral load at #7 greys under foundation (tinted) (nano)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +7 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
Full ingredient list (41)
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
- light ← 7 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 7 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
3 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 16 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
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5 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 6 sebum-absorbing powder
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
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Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide)
- ↑ 31.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 10 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- pills ← 1.5 High mineral load greys under foundation (tinted) (nano)
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- ↑ 7 film former
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
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10 Alcohol
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
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13 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Supporting ingredient
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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Botanical extract
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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21 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
pH adjuster
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
25 Alumina
Supporting ingredient
-
26 Cellulose
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Supporting ingredient
-
31 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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33 Maltodextrin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
35 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Botanical extract
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37 Ci 77491
Colorant or pigment
- ↑ 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
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38 Ci 77492
Colorant or pigment
-
39 Ci 77499
Colorant or pigment
-
Colorant or pigment
-
41 CI 77947
Colorant or pigment
Is Guerlain L'Essentiel mineral or chemical?
It is mineral, using Titanium Dioxide as its only UV filter. It wears matte with a low white cast.
Is SPF 15 enough sun protection?
Generally no. SPF 15 is rated weak here, and the overall score of 49 reflects that this is better seen as a complexion product than as standalone sun defense. For real sun exposure a higher SPF is commonly recommended.