Implora Perfect Shield Sunscreen SPF 40 PA++++
68/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Implora Perfect Shield SPF 40 PA++++ is a chemical-led sunscreen blending cinnamate and octocrylene UVB filters with avobenzone and a touch of titanium dioxide. It wears lightweight with low white cast, a balanced finish and is unlikely to sting, sitting okay under makeup. Protection is good and the 68/100 score makes it a reasonable budget daily choice.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
59
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #2, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #6, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +26.4 Titanium Dioxide at #9, UV filter (UVA1 +4)
- +12.8 Octocrylene at #11, UV filter
- −8.4 UVB coverage saturated
- −3.1 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
- +3 Label claims (SPF 40, PA rating)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
50
- +100 Starting score
- −36 Octinoxate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #11, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #6, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
👻
White cast
Low
86
- +100 Starting score
- −15 Titanium Dioxide at #9
- +1 Coated minerals (Alumina)
🔥
Eye sting
Low
61
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #6, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −7 Octocrylene at #11, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −16 Octinoxate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
68
- +100 Starting score
- −12 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 60)
- −9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Lecithin)
- −9 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Oleth-10)
- −2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
👕
Fabric stains
High
25
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #6, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #11, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
- −5 Titanium Dioxide at #9, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- → 1 Glycerin at #25, the anchor humectant
- → 4 Sodium Hyaluronate at #12, hyaluronic family
- → 1 Humectant polyols
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- ← 11 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Full ingredient list (39)
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
-
Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 18 UV protection
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
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
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
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Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 26.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 5 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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11 Octocrylene
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 12.8 UV protection
- ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 7 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing hyaluronic family
-
pH adjuster
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
pH adjuster
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
19 Alumina
Supporting ingredient
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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21 Oleth-10
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
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23 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
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24 Aroma
Fragrance
-
25 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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26 Lecithin
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Botanical extract
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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34 Benzoic Acid
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Botanical extract
-
36 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
-
Botanical extract
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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39 Ci 19140
Colorant or pigment
Does Implora Perfect Shield leave a white cast?
White cast is rated low, so it should wear fairly clear. It is mostly a chemical sunscreen with a small amount of titanium dioxide and a balanced finish. It is unlikely to sting and works okay under makeup.
What SPF is Implora Perfect Shield?
It is labeled SPF 40 with PA++++ for UVA. Our system rates its overall protection as good. That makes it a solid everyday level of defense.
Is this a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
It is mainly a chemical sunscreen, blending a cinnamate and octocrylene for UVB with avobenzone for UVA, plus a touch of titanium dioxide. It is not a mineral-only formula. It scores 68/100.