THE FACE Hydrating UV Defender SPF 35 ++++ Sunscreen
65/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
THE FACE Hydrating UV Defender SPF 35 is a chemical sunscreen using older-generation filters: ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, avobenzone, and octocrylene. It has a dewy, lightweight finish with low white cast and no sting, and pore-clogging risk stays low. It works well as a makeup base, though SPF 35 with a dated filter set lands at moderate protection. With a score of 64.9 out of 100, it is a hydrating everyday option for those who prefer a dewy look.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Moderate
37
- +17.1 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #7, UV filter
- +24 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #8, UV filter (UVA1 +12.8)
- +12.8 Octocrylene at #11, UV filter
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
- +1 Label claims (SPF 35)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
50
- +100 Starting score
- −36 Octinoxate at #7 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #11, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #8, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
89
- +100 Starting score
- −8 Sensitizing preservatives (Imidazolidinyl Urea)
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
Low
74
- +100 Starting score
- −8 Avobenzone at #8, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −7 Octocrylene at #11, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −11 Octinoxate at #7, migrates into eyes with sweat
🍄
Fungal acne
Low
91
- +100 Starting score
- −9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil)
- +0 Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil at #12, jojoba wax ester, fungal-acne exception (not penalized)
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
37
- +100 Starting score
- −38 Avobenzone at #8, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #11, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
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Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- ← 5 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 10 Glycerin at #5, the anchor humectant
- → 1 Humectant polyols
- → 3 2 emollient lipids (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil)
- → 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetyl Alcohol)
✨
Finish
Dewy
MatteDewy
- ← 4 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 13 3 emollient lipids (Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
💄
Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- → 6 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 3 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
- ← 3 Humectant syrup tackiness
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Skincare extras
Beneficial actives this formula contains. Informational only, not part of the rating: their effect depends on a concentration the label does not disclose.
- ✨ Niacinamide
Full ingredient list (28)
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
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Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 9 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 5 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
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5 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
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Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate)
- ↑ 17.1 UV protection
- ↑ 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
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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
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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10 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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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
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Botanical extract
- 2 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 3 → dewy emollient lipid
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Botanical extract
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
pH adjuster
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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21 Allantoin
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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Botanical extract
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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26 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
Is THE FACE Hydrating UV Defender good as a makeup base?
Yes, it works well under makeup. It has a dewy, lightweight finish, low white cast, and does not sting, with a low pore-clogging risk.
Is the THE FACE Hydrating UV Defender SPF 35 ++++ Sunscreen mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen, using older-generation filters: ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, avobenzone, and octocrylene.
Is this a good sunscreen?
It scores 64.9 out of 100. At SPF 35 with a dated filter set protection is moderate, so it is generally best as a hydrating everyday layer.