Sarah Chapman Dynamic Defence SPF 15 Moisturiser
50/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Sarah Chapman Dynamic Defence SPF 15 Moisturiser is a chemical, moisturizer-style product using older filters Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Benzophenone-3, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane and Octocrylene. It leaves a low white cast with a dewy finish, feels lightweight and is generally low risk for breakouts, though it can sting somewhat with sweat. SPF 15 provides only moderate protection, suiting lower-sun days. The score of 50.1/100 reflects the modest SPF and dated filter set, making it more skincare than sun defense.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Moderate
46
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #3, UV filter
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #4, UV filter
- +20.9 Benzophenone-3 at #7, UV filter
- +24 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #10, UV filter (UVA1 +12.8)
- +12.8 Octocrylene at #11, UV filter
- −12.7 UVB coverage saturated
- −2.8 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
☢️
Health safety
Low
0
- +100 Starting score
- −70 Oxybenzone at #7 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −12.6 Octinoxate at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #11, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #10, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 2 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
- −7 Retinyl Palmitate at #48, disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
- +3.6 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
🤧
Allergens
Medium
36
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −27 10 declared fragrance allergens
- −4 Essential oils (Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil)
- −9 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Benzophenone-3, Octocrylene)
- −6 Sensitizers from 3 different categories
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
36
- +100 Starting score
- −8 Avobenzone at #10, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −7 Octocrylene at #11, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −11 Oxybenzone at #7, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −16 Octinoxate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Octisalate at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
- −8 7 declared fragrance allergens
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
96
- +100 Starting score
- −2 Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit at #22, butter/occlusive fat
- −2 Mangifera Indica Seed Butter at #21, butter/occlusive fat
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
43
- +100 Starting score
- −12 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 60)
- −27 3 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Lecithin)
- −18 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate)
👕
Fabric stains
High
17
- +100 Starting score
- −38 Avobenzone at #10, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −20 Oxybenzone at #7, yellow stains on white cotton
- −15 Octocrylene at #11, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Nylon-12)
- → 10 Glycerin at #6, the anchor humectant
- → 1 1 strong humectants (Sodium PCA)
- → 3 3 emollient lipids (Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter)
- → 2 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (C14-22 Alcohols)
✨
Finish
Dewy
MatteDewy
- ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Nylon-12)
- → 9 4 emollient lipids (Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit, Squalane, …)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 1 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer)
- ← 3 Humectant syrup tackiness
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Full ingredient list (58)
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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1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 2 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
-
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 (Octisalate)
- ↑ 7.6 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 6 → dewy emollient lipid
-
6 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone)
- ↑ 20.9 UV protection
- ↑ 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 20 yellow stains on white cotton
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 24 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 8 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 38 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
11 Octocrylene
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 12.8 UV protection
- ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 7 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Botanical extract
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Botanical extract
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
20 Sodium PCA
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Botanical extract
- ↑ 2 butter/occlusive fat
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Botanical extract
- ↑ 2 butter/occlusive fat
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
23 Nylon-12
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Botanical extract
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
26 Squalane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
28 Lecithin
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Botanical extract
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
32 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
33 Ubiquinone
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
39 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
pH adjuster
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Filter booster, photostabilizes the UV filters or lifts their SPF
-
Plant oil, an emollient
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↓ 7 disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
-
49 Citronellol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
50 Geraniol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
51 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
53 Farnesol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
56 Eugenol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
58 Citral
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
What SPF is Sarah Chapman Dynamic Defence Moisturiser?
It is SPF 15, which gives moderate sun protection. That level suits lower-sun days more than long stretches in strong sun. For prolonged exposure a higher SPF is generally the better choice.
Is Sarah Chapman Dynamic Defence Moisturiser mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical, moisturizer-style product using older filters Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Benzophenone-3, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane and Octocrylene. There is no mineral zinc or titanium in the blend.
Is Sarah Chapman Dynamic Defence Moisturiser any good?
It scores 50.1/100, reflecting the modest SPF 15 and a dated filter set. The low-cast, dewy, lightweight feel is pleasant for daily wear. It is more a skincare moisturizer than dedicated sun defense.