Paula's Choice Skin Restoring Moisturizer With SPF 15
58/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Paula's Choice Skin Restoring Moisturizer With SPF 15 is a chemical, moisturizer-style daytime product using older-generation filters: Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Benzophenone-3 and Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane. It leaves a low white cast with a matte finish, feels lightweight and is generally low risk for breakouts, though it can sting somewhat with sweat. SPF 15 delivers only moderate protection, which suits indoor days more than strong sun. The score of 58.4/100 reflects that modest SPF and the dated filter set.
Ingredient & SPF scores
βοΈ
UV protection
Moderate
46
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #2, UV filter
- +12 Homosalate at #3, UV filter
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #4, UV filter
- +20.9 Benzophenone-3 at #5, UV filter
- +24 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #8, UV filter (UVA1 +12.8)
- β15.1 UVB coverage saturated
- Γ0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- Γ0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
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Health safety
Low
0
- +100 Starting score
- β70 Oxybenzone at #5 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β14 Homosalate at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β12.6 Octinoxate at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β3.5 Avobenzone at #8, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 3 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
- +0.1 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
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Allergens
Low
94
- +100 Starting score
- β6 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Benzophenone-3)
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Eye sting
Medium
50
- +100 Starting score
- β8 Avobenzone at #8, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β11 Oxybenzone at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β16 Octinoxate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Homosalate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β6 Octisalate at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
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Fungal acne
Low
80
- +100 Starting score
- β18 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate)
- β2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Cetearyl Glucoside), weak Malassezia signal
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Fabric stains
Medium
42
- +100 Starting score
- β38 Avobenzone at #8, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- β20 Oxybenzone at #5, yellow stains on white cotton
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- β 5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- β 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- β 10 Glycerin at #7, the anchor humectant
- β 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetearyl Alcohol)
β¨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- β 6 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- β 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 1 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- β 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- β 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
- β 1.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
π
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +3 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
Full ingredient list (44)
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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Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 18 UV protection
- β 12.6 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 12 UV protection
- β 14 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- β 7.6 UV protection
- β 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone)
- β 20.9 UV protection
- β 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 20 yellow stains on white cotton
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6 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 6 sebum-absorbing powder
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7 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 β nourishing the anchor humectant
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Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- β 24 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 8 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 38 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 β nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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10 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light β 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte β 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
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Botanical extract
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- β 3 film former
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17 Allantoin
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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18 Niacinamide
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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19 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Botanical extract
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Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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Botanical extract
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Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
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Filter booster, photostabilizes the UV filters or lifts their SPF
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28 Sarcosine
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
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Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 2 minor malassezia feeder
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32 Dimethiconol
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Supporting ingredient
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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pH adjuster
-
40 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
Is Paula's Choice Skin Restoring Moisturizer good for oily or acne-prone skin?
It has a matte finish and is generally low risk for clogged pores, which tends to suit oilier and breakout-prone skin. It is a moisturizer with SPF rather than a dedicated sunscreen. Patch testing is always sensible if your skin is reactive.
What SPF is Paula's Choice Skin Restoring Moisturizer?
It is SPF 15, which gives moderate sun protection. That level suits indoor or low-sun days more than long stretches in strong sun. For prolonged exposure a higher SPF is generally the better choice.
Is Paula's Choice Skin Restoring Moisturizer any good?
It scores 58.4/100, a modest result that reflects the SPF 15 protection and an older-generation filter set. The matte, lightweight feel is pleasant for daily wear. It is best seen as a light daytime moisturizer rather than serious sun defense.