Vaseline SPF 24 Brightening Defense Lotion
68/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Vaseline SPF 24 Brightening Defense Lotion is a chemical sunscreen using older filters such as Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Octocrylene, and Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane. It wears with a balanced finish, low white cast, a lightweight feel, and no reported stinging. Pore-clogging risk is low. Protection is moderate, in line with its lower SPF, and the score is 67.5/100, suiting light everyday use.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Moderate
52
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #2, UV filter
- +13.3 Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid at #5, UV filter
- +12.8 Octocrylene at #8, UV filter
- +24 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #9, UV filter (UVA1 +12.8)
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
☢️
Health safety
High
67
- +100 Starting score
- −30 Octocrylene at #8 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #9, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
67
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −12 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
Low
64
- +100 Starting score
- −8 Avobenzone at #9, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −7 Octocrylene at #8, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Octisalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −4 Ensulizole at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
93
- +100 Starting score
- −2 Petrolatum at #14, heaviest occlusive
- −5 Stearic Acid at #4, rich gel-network thickener
🍄
Fungal acne
High
40
- +100 Starting score
- −50 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glycol Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate)
- −10 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
37
- +100 Starting score
- −38 Avobenzone at #9, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #8, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- → 16 Glycerin at #3, the anchor humectant
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 1 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Carbomer)
- ← 1 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
- ← 7 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
- ✨ Vitamin E
- ✨ Vitamin C
Full ingredient list (26)
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 (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 8 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
3 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 16 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 5 rich gel-network thickener
- ↑ 10 minor malassezia feeder
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Legacy UV filter (Ensulizole)
- ↑ 13.3 UV protection
- ↑ 4 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
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Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 12.8 UV protection
- ↑ 7 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
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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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10 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
11 Niacinamide
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
14 Petrolatum
Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
- ↑ 2 heaviest occlusive
- 1 → dewy occlusive
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
16 Hydroxide K
pH adjuster
-
17 Carbomer
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
19 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
20 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
pH adjuster
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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26 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
What SPF is Vaseline Brightening Defense Lotion?
It is SPF 24 with moderate measured protection. The score is 67.5/100, which suits light everyday use.
Is the Vaseline SPF 24 Brightening Defense Lotion mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen using older filters such as Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Octocrylene, and Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane.
Does it leave a white cast?
White cast is low. It has a balanced finish and a lightweight feel, with no reported stinging.