IQ Sun Care Daily Defence SPF 30
72/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
IQ Sun Care Daily Defence is an SPF 30 hybrid sunscreen pairing modern filters like Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine with classic chemical filters. It gives a balanced finish with a low white cast and a lightweight feel, though it may sting mildly for some. Breakout risk is generally low and it sits okay under makeup. With excellent protection and a score of 72.4/100, it is a dependable daily defence option.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
87
- +16 Octocrylene at #2, UV filter
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #3, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +45.6 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #4, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +7.2 Homosalate at #13, UV filter
- +4.8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #14, UV filter
- −9.1 UVB coverage saturated
- −8.3 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +1 Label claims (SPF 30)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
39
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Homosalate at #13 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −7 Retinyl Palmitate at #23, disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
🤧
Allergens
Low
67
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −12 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
44
- +100 Starting score
- −24 Avobenzone at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −1 Homosalate at #13, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −1 Octisalate at #14, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
95
- +100 Starting score
- −5 Cetearyl Alcohol at #5, rich gel-network thickener
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
41
- +100 Starting score
- −9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil)
- −50 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-40 Stearate, Ceteareth-20)
👕
Fabric stains
High
25
- +100 Starting score
- −50 Avobenzone at #3, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #2, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- → 4 Glycerin at #11, the anchor humectant
- → 1 1 strong humectants (Panthenol)
- → 1 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
- → 1.5 2 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +7 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
Full ingredient list (33)
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 (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 (Avobenzone), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 30 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 24 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 50 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S)
- ↑ 45.6 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- ↑ 5 rich gel-network thickener
- 1 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 → nourishing light emollient
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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11 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- ↑ 7 film former
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13 Homosalate
Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 7.2 UV protection
- ↑ 1 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 4.8 UV protection
- ↑ 1 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
15 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
18 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↓ 7 disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
26 Panthenol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
pH adjuster
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
-
30 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
Is IQ Sun Care Daily Defence mineral or chemical?
It is a hybrid, pairing modern filters like Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine with classic chemical filters.
Will the IQ Sun Care Daily Defence SPF 30 sting my eyes?
It may, mildly. Sting risk is medium, so it can feel slightly irritating near sensitive eyes for some users.
Is this a good sunscreen?
Yes. It scores 72.4/100 with excellent protection, a low white cast, and a balanced, lightweight finish, making it a dependable daily defence.