INGU Aqua Defense Hybrid Sunscreen SPF 50+ Pa++++
80/100 overall score
Sign in to see this product's score for your skin.
About this sunscreen
INGU Aqua Defense Hybrid Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++ is a chemical sunscreen on a hybrid filter set including octocrylene, homosalate, Tinosorb M, avobenzone, octisalate and Tinosorb S for strong broad-spectrum cover. It dries matte with low white cast and a lightweight feel, and it sits well under makeup. Pore-clogging risk is generally low, with a medium chance of eye stinging. At 80.2/100 with excellent protection, it is a strong everyday high-SPF choice for most skin types.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
100
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +11.4 Homosalate at #4, UV filter
- +45.6 Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +17.1)
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #6, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +6.4 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #8, UV filter
- +38.4 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #12, UV filter (UVA1 +12.8)
- +13.2 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #13, UV filter
- +9.9 Titanium Dioxide at #25, UV filter (UVA1 +1.5)
- −45.4 UVB coverage saturated
- −22.4 UVA2 coverage saturated
- −1.6 UVA1 coverage saturated
- +4 Label claims (SPF 50, PA rating)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
46
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Homosalate at #4 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #3, 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
82
- +100 Starting score
- −6 Titanium Dioxide at #25
- −12 Tinosorb M at #5, may look bluish-grey on deeper skin tones
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
53
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #6, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Homosalate at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −3 Octisalate at #8, migrates into eyes with sweat
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
94
- +100 Starting score
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #25
- −2 Cera Alba at #23, wax film
- −2 Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit at #28, butter/occlusive fat
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
61
- +100 Starting score
- −12 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 80)
- −9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit)
- −18 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate)
👕
Fabric stains
High
28
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #6, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #3, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #25, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 1 Glycerin at #26, the anchor humectant
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit)
✨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 3 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Dibutyl Adipate)
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit)
💄
Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- → 1 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 1 Quick-setting carrier, fast, even canvas
- → 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- → 3 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Sodium Polyacrylate)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +3 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
- +2 1 water-locking waxes
Full ingredient list (45)
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
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 3 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 16 UV protection
- ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 22 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
Legacy UV filter (Homosalate)
- ↑ 11.4 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb M)
- ↑ 45.6 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 12 may look bluish-grey on deeper skin tones
-
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
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 6.4 UV protection
- ↑ 3 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
10 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
11 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 38.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul T 150), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 13.2 UV protection
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
23 Cera Alba
Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
- ↑ 2 wax film
- ↑ 2 wax water lock
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 3 film former
-
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)
-
26 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Botanical extract
- ↑ 2 butter/occlusive fat
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
29 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
31 Melanin
Supporting ingredient
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
pH adjuster
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
37 Asiaticoside
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
39 Asiatic Acid
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
41 Cholesterol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
42 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
Is INGU Aqua Defense mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen on a hybrid filter set including octocrylene, homosalate, Tinosorb M, avobenzone, octisalate and Tinosorb S. No mineral filters are used.
Does the INGU Aqua Defense Hybrid Sunscreen SPF 50+ Pa++++ work for oily and acne-prone skin?
Yes, it suits oily skin well. The finish is matte and lightweight, and pore-clogging risk is generally low.
Is it good?
It scores 80.2/100 with excellent protection at SPF 50+ PA++++, making it a strong everyday high-SPF choice for most skin types.