SkinCeuticals Light Moisture UV Defense SPF 50
69/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
SkinCeuticals Light Moisture UV Defense SPF 50 is a chemical sunscreen with an older-school filter blend of Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate and Octocrylene. It wears lightweight with a balanced finish and keeps white cast low. At 68.7/100 with good protection, it is a dependable lightweight daily SPF, though the dated filter set keeps the score from climbing higher.
Ingredient & SPF scores
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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 50)
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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
97
- +100 Starting score
- β3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
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Eye sting
Medium
39
- +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
- β4 Volatile alcohol at #11
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Fungal acne
Medium
73
- +100 Starting score
- β27 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-8 Laurate)
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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 5 Volatile alcohol at #11
- β 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- β 4 Glycerin at #10, the anchor humectant
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Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- β 1 Volatile alcohol at #11
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 3 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- β 2 Quick-setting carrier (alcohol at #11), fast, even canvas
- β 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- β 4.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate)
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Water resistance
Resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +16 2 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
Full ingredient list (30)
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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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- β 13 film former
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 3 sebum-absorbing powder
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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10 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 β nourishing the anchor humectant
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Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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14 Trisiloxane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- β 3 film former
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Filter booster, photostabilizes the UV filters or lifts their SPF
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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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
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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28 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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pH adjuster
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30 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
Does SkinCeuticals Light Moisture UV Defense leave a white cast?
No, white cast is rated low. It wears lightweight with a balanced finish.
Is the SkinCeuticals Light Moisture UV Defense SPF 50 mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen, using an older-school blend of Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate and Octocrylene.
Is it any good?
It scores 68.7/100 with good protection, a dependable result. The dated filter set keeps it from scoring higher, but it is a comfortable lightweight daily SPF.