Paula's Choice Advanced Sun Protection Daily Moisturizer SPF 50+
95/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Paula's Choice Advanced Sun Protection Daily Moisturizer is an SPF 50+ chemical sunscreen with a modern filter lineup: Uvinul A Plus, ethylhexyl salicylate, Uvinul T 150, Tinosorb M, and Tinosorb S. It is lightweight with low white cast, a balanced finish, and a low-sting, low pore-clogging profile, and it layers well as a makeup base. With excellent protection and a standout 95.3 score, it is one of the strongest everyday facial sunscreens here, well-suited to most skin types including sensitive.
Ingredient & SPF scores
βοΈ
UV protection
Excellent
100
- +36 Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate at #3, UV filter (UVA1 +22)
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #6, UV filter
- +20.9 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #7, UV filter
- +38.4 Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol at #8, UV filter (UVA1 +14.4)
- +38.4 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #10, UV filter (UVA1 +12.8)
- β23.7 UVB coverage saturated
- β13.4 UVA2 coverage saturated
- β4.2 UVA1 coverage saturated
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
π₯
Eye sting
Low
94
- +100 Starting score
- β6 Octisalate at #6, migrates into eyes with sweat
π
Fungal acne
Low
91
- +100 Starting score
- β9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil)
- +0 Saccharomyces Ferment at #16, ferment, disputed Malassezia trigger (not penalized)
π
Fabric stains
Low
85
- +100 Starting score
- β15 Uvinul A Plus (DHHB) at #3, oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
π§
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- β 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Lauroyl Lysine)
- β 4 Glycerin at #11, the anchor humectant
- β 1 1 emollient lipids (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil)
β¨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Lauroyl Lysine)
- β 6 4 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Dibutyl Adipate, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, β¦)
- β 1 1 emollient lipids (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil)
π
Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- β 6 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- β 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Sodium Polyacrylate)
π
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance βFull ingredient list (27)
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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1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte β 3 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul A Plus), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 36 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 15 oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte β 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte β 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- β 7.6 UV protection
- β 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul T 150)
- β 20.9 UV protection
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb M), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- β 38.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
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9 Undecane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- β 38.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
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11 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 β nourishing the anchor humectant
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte β 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
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13 Propanediol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
14 Tridecane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 1 sebum-absorbing powder
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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24 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
25 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
26 Naringenin
Supporting ingredient
-
Botanical extract
- 1 β nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 β dewy emollient lipid
- β 9 feeds malassezia
Is Paula's Choice Advanced Sun Protection good?
Its score is 95.3 out of 100 with excellent measured protection, making it one of the strongest everyday facial sunscreens here. It suits most skin types, including sensitive.
Is the Paula's Choice Advanced Sun Protection Daily Moisturizer SPF 50+ good under makeup?
Yes, it rates well as a makeup base. It is lightweight with low white cast and a balanced finish, so it commonly layers smoothly under other products.
Is it mineral or chemical?
It is a fully chemical sunscreen with a modern filter lineup including Uvinul A Plus, Uvinul T 150, Tinosorb M, and Tinosorb S. It contains no mineral filters.