Kaya Sun Defense: Daily Moisturising Sunscreen SPF 30
63/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Kaya Sun Defense Daily Moisturising Sunscreen is an SPF 30 formula pairing older chemical filters (avobenzone, octocrylene, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate) with mineral titanium dioxide. It has a balanced finish, feels lightweight, shows low white cast, and works well as a makeup base. Protection is rated moderate. With a score of 63.0/100, it is a reasonable lightweight daily moisturizer with sun protection.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Moderate
52
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #2, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +15.2 Octocrylene at #5, UV filter
- +19.8 Titanium Dioxide at #17, UV filter (UVA1 +3)
- +5.4 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #24, UV filter
- −2 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
- +1 Label claims (SPF 30)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
40
- +100 Starting score
- −36 Octinoxate at #24 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #5, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10 Propylparaben at #38, endocrine-scrutinized preservative
🤧
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
51
- +100 Starting score
- −24 Avobenzone at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −15 Octocrylene at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −2 Octinoxate at #24, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
99
- +100 Starting score
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #17
- +0.5 Volatile silicone at #6, flashes off
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Comedogenic
Low
98
- +100 Starting score
- −2 Isopropyl Myristate at #14, heavy comedogenic ester
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Fungal acne
Medium
44
- +100 Starting score
- −12 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Sorbitan Stearate)
- −42 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Isopropyl Myristate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate)
- −2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
👕
Fabric stains
High
23
- +100 Starting score
- −50 Avobenzone at #2, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #5, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #17, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 3 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate)
- ← 5 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 1 Glycerin at #29, the anchor humectant
- → 1 1 strong humectants (Hydroxyethyl Urea)
- → 2 Humectant polyols
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 2 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Silica)
- ← 4 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 3 1 emollient lipids (C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
- → 1 1 slippy emollient esters (Isopropyl Myristate)
💄
Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- → 5 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 8 1 velvet elastomer fillers, blur and grip
- → 1 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Carbomer)
🌊
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 (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
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing humectant polyol
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
-
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene)
- ↑ 15.2 UV protection
- ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 15 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 5 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 3 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 heavy comedogenic ester
- 1 → dewy slippy emollient ester
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 19.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 2 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
-
18 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
19 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
20 PVP
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 5.4 UV protection
- ↑ 2 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
26 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
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Filter booster, photostabilizes the UV filters or lifts their SPF
-
29 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
pH adjuster
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
36 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
37 Carbomer
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
- ↓ 10 endocrine-scrutinized preservative
-
39 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
Is Kaya Sun Defense Daily Moisturising Sunscreen good?
It scores 63.0/100 with protection rated moderate, making it a reasonable lightweight daily moisturizer with sun protection at SPF 30.
Is the Kaya Sun Defense: Daily Moisturising Sunscreen SPF 30 mineral or chemical?
It is a hybrid, pairing older chemical filters such as avobenzone and octocrylene with mineral titanium dioxide.
Does it work under makeup?
Yes, it is rated good as a makeup base, with a balanced finish, low white cast and a lightweight feel.