The Body Shop Skin Defence Multi- Protection Light Essence SPF 50 Pa +++
67/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
The Body Shop Skin Defence Multi-Protection Light Essence SPF 50 PA+++ is a chemical sunscreen with a hybrid filter set including Homosalate, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate and Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutyl- phenol. The light essence wears balanced and lightweight with low white cast and sits well under makeup, but it may sting sensitive eyes noticeably. Breakout risk is low and protection is rated good. At 66.8/100 it is a fair pick, with the eye-sting potential its main drawback.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
74
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +17.1 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #4, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +6.4 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #8, UV filter
- +38.4 Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol at #11, UV filter (UVA1 +14.4)
- +28.8 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #13, UV filter (UVA1 +9.6)
- +13.2 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #14, UV filter
- −52.3 UVB coverage saturated
- −13.9 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
- +3 Label claims (SPF 50, PA rating)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
33
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Homosalate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −12.6 Octinoxate at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #5, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 2 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
🤧
Allergens
Low
67
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −5 3 declared fragrance allergens
- −7 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
High
25
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −11 Octinoxate at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −3 Octisalate at #8, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
- −6 3 declared fragrance allergens
🍄
Fungal acne
Low
77
- +100 Starting score
- −23 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate)
👕
Fabric stains
High
30
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #5, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #3, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- → 4 Glycerin at #10, the anchor humectant
- → 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #25, hyaluronic family
- → 1 Humectant polyols
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 6 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
💄
Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- → 1 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 8 1 velvet elastomer fillers, blur and grip
- → 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Full ingredient list (33)
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.
-
1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 12 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 16 UV protection
- ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 22 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate)
- ↑ 17.1 UV protection
- ↓ 12.6 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 11 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
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 6 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 6.4 UV protection
- ↑ 3 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
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10 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb M), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 38.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
12 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 28.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul T 150), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 13.2 UV protection
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
22 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
23 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
27 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
29 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
-
30 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
31 Limonene
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
32 Citronellol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
pH adjuster
Does The Body Shop Skin Defence Light Essence leave a white cast?
No, white cast is rated low. The light essence is a chemical hybrid formula that wears balanced and lightweight, and sits well under makeup.
Is the The Body Shop Skin Defence Multi- Protection Light Essence SPF 50 Pa +++ good for acne-prone skin?
Breakout risk is rated low, so it is generally unlikely to clog pores. The balanced, lightweight finish suits most skin types.
Is this a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
It is a chemical sunscreen with a hybrid filter set, including Homosalate, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate and Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol.
Is The Body Shop Skin Defence Light Essence good?
It is a fair pick, scoring 66.8/100 with good protection. Its main drawback is that it may sting sensitive eyes noticeably.