Institut Esthederm Face Brightening Tinted Spf50+ Sun Protection Cream
65/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Institut Esthederm Face Brightening Tinted SPF 50+ Cream is a tinted chemical sunscreen built on older-generation filters: Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Homosalate, and avobenzone. The tint helps it finish balanced with low white cast, and it stays lightweight and generally gentle. It works acceptably as a makeup base. With a score of 65.3/100 and moderate protection, it is a reasonable tinted everyday option, with its dated filters limiting the rating.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Moderate
40
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #2, UV filter
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #4, UV filter
- +11.4 Homosalate at #6, UV filter
- +24 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #9, UV filter (UVA1 +12.8)
- −5 UVB coverage saturated
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
44
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Homosalate at #6 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −12.6 Octinoxate at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #9, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 2 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
🔥
Eye sting
Low
64
- +100 Starting score
- −8 Avobenzone at #9, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −16 Octinoxate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Homosalate at #6, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Octisalate at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
99
- +100 Starting score
- −1 Paraffinum Liquidum at #37, heavy oil
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
70
- +100 Starting score
- −12 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 60)
- −18 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate)
👕
Fabric stains
Low
62
- +100 Starting score
- −38 Avobenzone at #9, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- ← 3 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer)
- → 10 Glycerin at #5, the anchor humectant
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Squalane)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 2 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Silica)
- ← 1 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Dicaprylyl Carbonate)
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Squalane)
- → 1 Occlusives seal moisture in (Paraffinum Liquidum)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 1 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer)
- ← 1 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
- ← 3 Humectant syrup tackiness
🌊
Water resistance
Resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +16 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.
- ✨ Vitamin E
Full ingredient list (52)
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
- ↓ 12.6 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Filter booster, photostabilizes the UV filters or lifts their SPF
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- ↑ 7.6 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
5 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Legacy UV filter (Homosalate)
- ↑ 11.4 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 13 film former
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 24 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 8 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 38 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- ↑ 3 film former
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
17 Creatine
Supporting ingredient
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
20 Mannitol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
28 Cerium Oxide
Supporting ingredient
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
30 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Filter booster, photostabilizes the UV filters or lifts their SPF
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Supporting ingredient
-
34 Squalane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Botanical extract
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
- ↑ 1 heavy oil
- 1 → dewy occlusive
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Botanical extract
-
pH adjuster
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Supporting ingredient
-
46 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
47 Carnosine
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
51 Red 33
Colorant or pigment
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
Does Institut Esthederm Tinted SPF 50+ leave a white cast?
No, it is rated low for white cast, and the tint helps it blend to a balanced finish on a range of skin tones.
Is the Institut Esthederm Face Brightening Tinted Spf50+ Sun Protection Cream mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen built on older-generation filters: Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Homosalate, and avobenzone.
Is it good?
It is fair. It scores 65.3/100 with moderate protection and a tinted, lightweight finish, but its dated filter set limits the rating.