Lancôme Uv Expert Aquagel Defense Primer & Moisturizer Spf 50
58/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Lancome UV Expert Aquagel Defense Primer & Moisturizer SPF 50 is a chemical sunscreen on an older filter set including Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Homosalate, Octocrylene and Benzophenone-3. It leaves little white cast, has a balanced finish and is low on pore-clogging risk, but it carries a high stinging risk that can bother sensitive eyes. Protection is rated good. The older filter blend and sting risk pull the score to about 58 out of 100.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
66
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #1, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #3, UV filter
- +15.2 Octocrylene at #4, UV filter
- +20.9 Benzophenone-3 at #5, UV filter
- −8.9 UVB coverage saturated
- −6.2 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
Low
2
- +100 Starting score
- −70 Oxybenzone at #5 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −14 Homosalate at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #1, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 2 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
🤧
Allergens
Low
61
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −12 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- −9 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Benzophenone-3, Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
High
20
- +100 Starting score
- −24 Avobenzone at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −15 Octocrylene at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −11 Oxybenzone at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Octisalate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −4 Volatile alcohol at #8
- −8 Fragrance
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Fungal acne
Low
91
- +100 Starting score
- −9 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (PEG-8 Laurate)
👕
Fabric stains
High
5
- +100 Starting score
- −50 Avobenzone at #1, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −20 Oxybenzone at #5, yellow stains on white cotton
- −15 Octocrylene at #4, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 5 Volatile alcohol at #8
- ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- → 1 Glycerin at #31, the anchor humectant
- → 1 1 strong humectants (Sorbitol)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 1 Volatile alcohol at #8
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 3 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 2 Quick-setting carrier (alcohol at #8), fast, even canvas
- ← 4.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate)
🌊
Water resistance
Resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +14 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 (32)
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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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
-
Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 12 UV protection
- ↓ 14 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 8 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
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
-
Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone)
- ↑ 20.9 UV protection
- ↑ 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 20 yellow stains on white cotton
-
6 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 7 film former
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 7 film former
-
11 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
17 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
24 Sorbitol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Botanical extract
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Botanical extract
-
pH adjuster
-
29 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
31 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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32 Fragrance
Fragrance
Does Lancome UV Expert Aquagel Defense sting the eyes?
It carries a high stinging risk, so it may bother sensitive eyes. People sensitive to that may prefer a gentler formula.
Is the Lancôme Uv Expert Aquagel Defense Primer & Moisturizer Spf 50 mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen using filters such as Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Homosalate, Octocrylene and Benzophenone-3.
Is Lancome UV Expert Aquagel Defense SPF 50 any good?
It scores about 58 out of 100. Protection is rated good, but the high stinging risk and older filter set pull the rating down.