Neutrogena Beach Defense Sunscreen Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 70
65/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Neutrogena Beach Defense Sunscreen Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 70 is a chemical beach lotion using Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane (avobenzone), Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate and Octocrylene. It wears lightweight with a balanced finish and little white cast, but can sting somewhat if it reaches the eyes. Protection is good and the high SPF suits outdoor use, though the older filters hold the overall score to a mid-range level for a sporty body lotion.
Ingredient & SPF scores
βοΈ
UV protection
Good
61
- +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
- Γ0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +2 Label claims (SPF 70)
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Health safety
Medium
46
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Homosalate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β10.5 Octocrylene at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β3.5 Avobenzone at #1, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
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Allergens
Low
67
- +100 Starting score
- β18 Fragrance
- β1 1 declared fragrance allergens
- β11 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- β3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
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Eye sting
Medium
35
- +100 Starting score
- β24 Avobenzone at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β15 Octocrylene at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Octisalate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β8 Fragrance
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Heavy feel
Low
98
- +100 Starting score
- β2 Synthetic Beeswax at #15, wax film
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Fungal acne
Medium
63
- +100 Starting score
- β37 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Trideceth-6)
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Fabric stains
High
25
- +100 Starting score
- β50 Avobenzone at #1, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- β15 Octocrylene at #4, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- β10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- β 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
β¨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- β 1 1 slippy emollient esters (Ethylhexyl Stearate)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- β 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Sodium Polyacrylate)
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Water resistance
Resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +16 2 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
- +2 1 water-locking waxes
Full ingredient list (29)
What each ingredient does and how it moves each rating: green helps, red hurts, β / β give the direction, and β / β 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
- β 30 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 24 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 50 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
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Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 12 UV protection
- β 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 8 UV protection
- β 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene)
- β 15.2 UV protection
- β 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 15 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
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5 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- β 13 film former
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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10 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 3 sebum-absorbing powder
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 14 feeds malassezia
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 14 feeds malassezia
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13 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
- β 2 wax film
- β 2 wax water lock
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- β 3 film former
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
19 Fragrance
Fragrance
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20 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 β dewy slippy emollient ester
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27 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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29 Trideceth-6
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
What SPF is the Neutrogena Beach Defense Sunscreen Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 70?
It is a high SPF 70 broad-spectrum lotion, suited to extended outdoor and beach use where you want a larger protection margin.
Is the Neutrogena Beach Defense Sunscreen Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 70 mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen, using avobenzone, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate and Octocrylene, an older-generation set.
Does it sting the eyes?
It can sting somewhat if it reaches the eyes, which is common for a sporty chemical lotion, so keep it away from the eye area.