This Works In Transit Skin Defence SPF 45
52/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
This Works In Transit Skin Defence SPF 45 is a chemical sunscreen using old-school filters including Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, and Benzophenone-3. It carries a moderate protection level despite the SPF 45 label and wears lightweight with a matte finish and low white cast. It is excellent as a makeup base and low in pore-clogging risk, though its sweat and sting profile is high. With a score of 52.2, it is a primer-friendly option best for those who like a matte base.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Moderate
48
- +16 Octocrylene at #2, UV filter
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #3, UV filter
- +20.9 Benzophenone-3 at #4, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- −7.5 UVB coverage saturated
- −5.7 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
- +1 Label claims (SPF 45)
☢️
Health safety
Low
3
- +100 Starting score
- −70 Oxybenzone at #4 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −12.6 Octinoxate at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #5, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 2 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
🤧
Allergens
Medium
47
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −2 2 declared fragrance allergens
- −10 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- −8 Sensitizing preservatives (Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate)
- −9 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Benzophenone-3, Octocrylene)
- −6 Sensitizers from 3 different categories
🔥
Eye sting
High
23
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −11 Oxybenzone at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −16 Octinoxate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
- −4 2 declared fragrance allergens
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
99
- +100 Starting score
- −2 Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter at #29, butter/occlusive fat
- +0.5 Volatile silicone at #7, flashes off
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −2 Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter at #29, comedogenic oil/butter
- −1 Glyceryl Stearate SE at #16, moderate comedogenic signal
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
62
- +100 Starting score
- −9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter)
- −27 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate SE, Laureth-7, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate)
- −2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic 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 #4, yellow stains on white cotton
- −15 Octocrylene at #2, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Tapioca Starch Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- ← 6 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 1 Glycerin at #15, the anchor humectant
- → 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #28, hyaluronic family
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter)
✨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Tapioca Starch Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- ← 5 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter)
💄
Makeup base
Excellent
PillsPrimer
- → 6 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 (Polyacrylamide)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Full ingredient list (39)
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
-
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), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 18 UV protection
- ↓ 12.6 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone)
- ↑ 20.9 UV protection
- ↑ 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 20 yellow stains on white cotton
-
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
-
Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 5 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
12 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
15 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
17 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
20 Xylitol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
24 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- light ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
-
Botanical extract
- ↑ 2 butter/occlusive fat
- ↑ 2 comedogenic oil/butter
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
33 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
34 Laureth-7
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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35 Limonene
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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Botanical extract
-
Supporting ingredient
-
38 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
39 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
Does This Works In Transit Skin Defence work under makeup?
Yes, it is excellent as a makeup base. It has a matte finish, a low white cast, and a lightweight feel that sits well under foundation.
Is the This Works In Transit Skin Defence SPF 45 mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen using older filters such as Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, and Benzophenone-3.
Is this sunscreen good?
It scores 52.2 out of 100 with moderate protection, so it is best as a primer-friendly base. Note its sweat and sting profile is high.