Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Moisture Defense® Lotion SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion
55/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Moisture Defense Lotion is an SPF 30 chemical sunscreen using an older-generation filter set including Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Benzophenone-3, and Avobenzone. It has a balanced finish with low white cast and a lightweight feel, but the formula commonly stings, so it is less ideal around the eyes. It works only okay under makeup and is generally low on pore-clogging. With moderate protection and a 55/100 score, it is a middling option held back by its dated filters.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Moderate
48
- +12 Homosalate at #1, UV filter
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #2, UV filter
- +22 Benzophenone-3 at #3, UV filter
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #4, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +15.2 Octocrylene at #6, UV filter
- −27 UVB coverage saturated
- −6.1 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
- +1 Label claims (SPF 30)
☢️
Health safety
Low
0
- +100 Starting score
- −70 Oxybenzone at #3 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −14 Homosalate at #1, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −12.6 Octinoxate at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #6, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #5, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 3 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
- −7 Retinyl Palmitate at #34, disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
- +17.6 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
🤧
Allergens
Low
91
- +100 Starting score
- −9 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Benzophenone-3, Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
High
22
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −15 Octocrylene at #6, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −16 Oxybenzone at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −16 Octinoxate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Octisalate at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −1 Myristic Acid at #27, moderate comedogenic signal
- −1 Lauric Acid at #31, moderate comedogenic signal
- −1 Palmitic Acid at #13, moderate comedogenic signal
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
42
- +100 Starting score
- −24 2 free fatty acids that feed Malassezia (Lauric Acid, Myristic Acid)
- −28 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate)
- −6 3 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Arachidic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
👕
Fabric stains
High
10
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #5, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −20 Oxybenzone at #3, yellow stains on white cotton
- −15 Octocrylene at #6, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 4.5 3 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Bentonite, Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate)
- → 1 1 strong humectants (Panthenol)
- → 1 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
- → 6 Ceramide barrier lipids
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 3 3 sebum-absorbing powders (Bentonite, Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Silica)
- → 3 1 emollient lipids (C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 1 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Carbomer)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Full ingredient list (41)
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 (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 (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 18 UV protection
- ↓ 12.6 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 22 UV protection
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 20 yellow stains on white cotton
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- ↑ 7.6 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone)
- ↑ 28.5 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 45 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
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
-
7 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 3 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 → nourishing light emollient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
15 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
pH adjuster
-
17 Bentonite
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
18 Carbomer
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
19 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
20 Allantoin
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
24 Panthenol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
31 Lauric Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↓ 7 disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
-
35 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
38 Ceramide NP
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Supporting ingredient
Is Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer Moisture Defense mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen. It uses an older-generation filter set including Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Benzophenone-3, and Avobenzone.
Does the Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Moisture Defense® Lotion SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion sting the eyes?
This formula commonly stings, so it may be best to keep it away from the immediate eye area. Sensitive users may prefer a low-sting alternative.
Is it good?
It scores 55 out of 100, which places it in the middle of the pack. It offers moderate SPF 30 protection but is held back by dated filters and a tendency to sting.