L'Oreal UV Defender UV Serum Protector Bright & Clear SPF 50+, Pa++++
76/100 overall score
Sign in to see this product's score for your skin.
About this sunscreen
L'Oreal UV Defender UV Serum Protector Bright & Clear SPF 50+ PA++++ is a chemical (hybrid) sunscreen with an advanced filter blend including Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, and Ethylhexyl Triazone. It is lightweight with a balanced finish and is unlikely to sting, with low pore-clogging potential, though it can leave a medium white cast and rates poor as a makeup base. With excellent protection and a score of 76.2 out of 100, it is a high-performing daily serum.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
98
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #2, UV filter
- +33 Titanium Dioxide at #3, UV filter (UVA1 +5)
- +38 Drometrizole Trisiloxane at #6, UV filter (UVA1 +13.3)
- +26.6 Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid at #7, UV filter (UVA1 +9.5)
- +10.8 Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate at #22, UV filter (UVA1 +6.6)
- +6.6 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #26, UV filter
- +14.4 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #42, UV filter (UVA1 +4.8)
- −25.4 UVB coverage saturated
- −27.8 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +4 Label claims (SPF 50, PA rating)
☢️
Health safety
High
64
- +100 Starting score
- −36 Octinoxate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
70
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −6 4 declared fragrance allergens
- −6 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
👻
White cast
Medium
52
- +100 Starting score
- −50 Titanium Dioxide at #3
- −2 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #17
- +3.6 Coated minerals (Aluminum Hydroxide)
🔥
Eye sting
Low
66
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Octinoxate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −4 Volatile alcohol at #9
- −8 Fragrance
- −6 3 declared fragrance allergens
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
98
- +100 Starting score
- −1 Myristic Acid at #40, moderate comedogenic signal
- −1 Palmitic Acid at #28, moderate comedogenic signal
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
42
- +100 Starting score
- −12 1 free fatty acids that feed Malassezia (Myristic Acid)
- −24 2 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Oleate)
- −18 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate)
- −4 2 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
60
- +100 Starting score
- −15 Uvinul A Plus (DHHB) at #22, oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
- −10 Mexoryl XL at #6, oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
- −15 Titanium Dioxide at #3, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 5 Volatile alcohol at #9
- ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Nylon-12)
- ← 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 2 Titanium Dioxide at #3, mild sebum absorbent
- → 10 Glycerin at #5, the anchor humectant
- → 4 1 emollient lipids (Squalane)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Nylon-12)
- ← 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 1 Volatile alcohol at #9
- → 6 1 emollient lipids (Squalane)
💄
Makeup base
Poor
PillsPrimer
- → 2 Quick-setting carrier (alcohol at #9), fast, even canvas
- ← 1 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Carbomer, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer)
- ← 1.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
- ← 15 High mineral load at #3 greys under foundation
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate 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 (51)
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
-
Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 18 UV protection
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 33 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light ← 2 mild sebum absorbent
- pills ← 15 High mineral load greys under foundation
-
4 Squalane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 4 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 6 → dewy emollient lipid
-
5 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Mexoryl XL)
- ↑ 38 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 10 oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Mexoryl SX)
- ↑ 26.6 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
-
pH adjuster
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
12 Mica
Colorant or pigment
-
13 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
15 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
16 Nylon-12
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Colorant or pigment
-
18 Niacinamide
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul A Plus), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 10.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 15 oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
-
Botanical extract
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul T 150), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 6.6 UV protection
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
30 Limonene
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
31 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
32 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
33 Tromethamine
pH adjuster
-
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Colorant or pigment
-
38 Carbomer
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 14.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
45 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
51 Fragrance
Fragrance
Does the L'Oreal UV Defender Serum leave a white cast?
It can leave a medium white cast despite its lightweight feel. Blending it in well generally helps reduce any visible residue.
Is the L'Oreal UV Defender UV Serum Protector Bright & Clear SPF 50+, Pa++++ mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical (hybrid) sunscreen with an advanced filter blend including Drometrizole Trisiloxane. It includes only a small amount of titanium dioxide.
Is it good and what SPF?
It is SPF 50+ PA++++ with excellent protection and a score of 76.2 out of 100, a high performer for daily use. It is rated a poor base under makeup, though.