Algenist Ultra Lightweight UV Defense Fluid SPF 50

Algenist

Algenist Ultra Lightweight UV Defense Fluid SPF 50

0.0
from 0 Ratings
Where to buy Possibly in stock

About this product

The Algenist Ultra Lightweight UV Defense Fluid SPF 50 is a sunscreen. Our analysis of its 61 ingredients (52 low-risk) rates it Excellent (93/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone and dry skin. Heads up: it contains fragrance, which can irritate sensitive or reactive skin.

Vegan-friendly Reef-safe

Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.

At a glance

Type
Sunscreen
Ingredients
61
Low-risk
52
Fragrance
Contains fragrance
Origin
United States
SPF
50 · blocks 98.0% UVB

The evidence

Quick Product Notes

Paraben-Free Sulfate-Free Alcohol-Free Silicone-Free EU Allergen-Free Fungal Acne (Malassezia) Safe

Notable Effects & Ingredients

No Notable Effects & Ingredients

Ingredients Related to Skin Types

Good   Bad — tap a skin type to see which ingredients · estimated from ingredient functions
Dry Skin 17/13
Good for dry skin
Algae Extract Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract Glyceryl Stearate Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract Cetearyl Alcohol Sorbitol Aluminum Hydroxide Isononyl Isononanoate Echinacea Purpurea Extract Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Caprylyl Glycol Butylene Glycol Glycerin Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Dimethicone Cyclopentasiloxane Lecithin
Caution for dry skin
Stearic Acid Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract Xanthan Gum Glycerin Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone Hexylene Glycol Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Ceteareth-20 Sodium Hydroxide PEG-100 Stearate PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone Alcohol Denat. Lecithin
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin 3/0
Good for oily/acne-prone skin
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Alcohol Denat.
Sensitive Skin 10/17
Good for sensitive skin
Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract Zinc Oxide Aluminum Hydroxide Ergothioneine Glycerin Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Dimethicone Tocopheryl Acetate Inula Crithmoide Extract Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract
Caution for sensitive skin
Algae Extract Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract Sorbitol Stearic Acid Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Butylene Glycol Glycerin Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin Hexylene Glycol Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Benzoic Acid Sodium Benzoate Potassium Sorbate Alcohol Denat. Phenoxyethanol Fragrance

Ingredients list

61 total
Lower hazard (1) Higher hazard (8)
All61 Skin Conditioning51 Emollient11 Fragrance11 Humectant11 Solvent10 Masking10 Emulsifying9 Skin Protecting8
EWG CIR Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions Notes
3
A
Dimethicone
(Antifoaming Agent, Skin Protecting, Emollient, Skin Conditioning)
Silicone
Silicone
1
B
Isononyl Isononanoate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Antistatic Agent)
1
A
Pentylene Glycol
(Skin Conditioning, Solvent)
1
A
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
(Emollient, Masking, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Solvent)
1
Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract
(Skin Conditioning, Moisturising)
1
A
Butylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Solvent, Viscositydecreasing Agent, Humectant, Masking, Viscosity Controlling)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
1
A
Cetearyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Opacifying, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Increasingagent Aqueous, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Emulsifying, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Glyceryl Stearate
(Emollient, Emulsifying)
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
Hydroxyphenoxy Propionic Acid
(Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Niacinamide
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Smoothing)
3
A
PEG-100 Stearate
(Surfactant)
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
Tetrapeptide-21
(Skin Conditioning)
1
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
(Skin Conditioning)
4
Inula Crithmoide Extract
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Protecting)
2
B
Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract Good for Oily Skin
Good for Oily Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
1
A
Beta-Glucan
(Bulking Agent, Skin Conditioning)
1
Algae Extract
(Fragrance, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Skin Conditioning, Emollient)
1
B
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
(Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Astringent, Emollient, Humectant, Masking, Oral Care Agent, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Tonic, Uv Absorber)
Good for Oily Skin
Good for Oily Skin
1
B
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Masking)
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
B
Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
(Skin Conditioning)
1
Ergothioneine
(Antioxidant)
2
3
Lecithin
(Skin Conditioning, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Antistatic Agent, Emollient)
1
Sorbitol
(Flavoring Agent, Fragrance, Humectant, Plasticizer, Skin Conditioning)
3
B
Ceteareth-20
(Cleansing, Emulsifying, Surfactant)
1
A
Sclerotium Gum
(Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling)
1
Propanediol
(Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling)
3
B
Sodium Hydroxide
(Denaturant, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent)
1
Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract
(Proprietary, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
(Chelating Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Masking, Skin Conditioning)
3
A
Sodium Benzoate
(Fragrance, Preservative, Anticorrosive, Masking)
1
A
Disodium EDTA
(Chelating Agent, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
1,2-Hexanediol
(Solvent)
3
A
Benzoic Acid
(Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Preservative, Bulking Agent, Masking)
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
3
A
Potassium Sorbate
(Fragrance, Preservative)
1
A
Xanthan Gum
(Binding Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant Emulsifying Agent, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Binding, Gel Forming, Viscosity Controlling)
3
Cinoxate
(Sunscreen Agent, Uv Absorber)
1
3
Titanium/Titanium Dioxide
(Cosmetic Colorant, Opacifying)
2
3
Zinc Oxide
(Bulking Agent, Cosmetic Colorant, Skin Protecting, Sunscreen Agent)
Good for Oily Skin
Good for Oily Skin
1
PPG-17
(Skin Conditioning)
3
A
Cyclopentasiloxane
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Solvent)
Silicone
Silicone
1
Water
(Solvent)
4
Alcohol Denat.
(Antifoaming Agent, Antimicrobial, Astringent, Masking, Solvent, Viscosity Controlling)
Bad for Dry Skin
Bad for Dry Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
2
A
Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant Cleansingagent, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Viscosity Increasing Agent)
1
A
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
(Film Forming, Viscosity Increasing Agent)
3
A
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
(Emulsifying)
A
Algae Exopolysaccharides
(Film Forming, Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting)
1
Echinacea Purpurea Extract
(Moisturising, Skin Conditioning, Tonic)
3
Tocopheryl Acetate
(Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning)
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
1
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
(Astringent, Skin Conditioning)
1
Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract
(Skin Conditioning)
1
Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract
(Antioxidant, Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Perfuming)
3
A
PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
(Skin Conditioning, Emulsifying, Surfactant)
1
A
Stearic Acid
(Fragrance, Sufactant, Emulsifying, Surfactantsurfactant Cleansing Agent Is Included As A Function For The Soap Form Of Stearic Acid., Emulsion Stabilising, Masking, Refatting)
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Hexyl Dimethicone
(Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Ethylhexylglycerin
(Deodorant, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Caprylyl Glycol
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Humectant)
1
A
Aluminum Hydroxide
(Emollient, Humectant, Opacifying, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Controlling)
4
A
Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative)
Paraben
Paraben
1
A
Hexylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Emulsifying, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant)
8
Fragrance
(Deodorant, Masking, Perfuming)

My Ingredient Notes

No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.

Browse similar sunscreen
No close formula match yet — browse other products like this

Key ingredients

Dimethicone
Skin Protecting, Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
Skin Conditioning, Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract
Skin Conditioning, Moisturising
Butylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning, Humectant

Benefits

Good for dry skin
Good for oily/acne-prone skin

Concerns

Contains paraben
Contains silicone
Not fungal acne (malassezia) safe
Fragrance — higher EWG
May not suit sensitive skin

EWG flags hazard, not real-world risk — ratings don't account for how much of an ingredient a product contains. Treat these as things to research, not verdicts. How we score →

Ingredients explained

Isononyl Isononanoate
Skin conditioning, Emollient
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B Skin conditioningEmollientAntistatic agent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin conditioning, Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Skin conditioningSolvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Emollient, Masking
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A EmollientMaskingPerfumingSkin conditioningSolvent
Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract
Skin conditioning, Moisturising
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Skin conditioningMoisturising
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emulsion stabilising, Opacifying
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Emulsion stabilisingOpacifyingFoam boostingViscosity increasingagent - aqueousViscosity increasing agentEmollientEmulsifyingViscosity controlling
Hydroxyphenoxy Propionic Acid
Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Skin conditioning
Niacinamide
Hair conditioning, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Hair conditioningSkin conditioningSmoothing
Tetrapeptide-21
Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Skin conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Skin conditioning
Inula Crithmoide Extract
Hair conditioning, Skin protecting
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 Hair conditioningSkin protecting
Beta-Glucan
Bulking agent, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Bulking agentSkin conditioning
Algae Extract
Fragrance, Humectant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 FragranceHumectantOral care agentSkin conditioningEmollient
Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A CIR B Skin conditioning
Ergothioneine
Antioxidant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Antioxidant
Lecithin
Skin conditioning, Emulsifying
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 2–3 Skin conditioningEmulsifyingSurfactantAntistatic agentEmollient
+ 30 more — see the full ingredients list above
Dimethicone
Antifoaming agent, Skin protecting
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A Antifoaming agentSkin protectingEmollientSkin conditioning Silicone
Butylene Glycol
Fragrance, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceSkin conditioningSolventViscositydecreasing agentHumectantMaskingViscosity controlling Good for Dry Skin
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient, Emulsifying
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A EmollientEmulsifying Fungal-acne trigger
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A Surfactant Fungal-acne trigger
Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract
Other
Excessively acidic, potentially irritatingRead moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR B Good for Oily SkinBad for Sensitive Skin
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial, Antioxidant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B AntimicrobialAntioxidantAstringentEmollientHumectantMaskingOral care agentSkin conditioningSkin protectingTonicUv absorber Good for Oily Skin
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract
Fragrance, Skin conditioning
Excessively acidic, potentially irritatingRead moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B FragranceSkin conditioningMasking Bad for Sensitive Skin
Benzoic Acid
Fragrance, Ph adjuster
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A FragrancePh adjusterPreservativeBulking agentMasking Bad for Sensitive Skin
Zinc Oxide
Bulking agent, Cosmetic colorant
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 2–3 Bulking agentCosmetic colorantSkin protectingSunscreen agent Good for Oily Skin
Cyclopentasiloxane
Hair conditioning, Skin conditioning
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A Hair conditioningSkin conditioningEmollientSolvent Silicone
Alcohol Denat.
Antifoaming agent, Antimicrobial
Causes moisture evaporation - prone to dry out skinRead moreShow less
EWG 4 Antifoaming agentAntimicrobialAstringentMaskingSolventViscosity controlling Bad for Dry SkinBad for Sensitive Skin
Glycerin
Denaturant, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A DenaturantFragranceHair conditioningHumectantOral care agentOral health care drugSkin protectingViscosity decreasing agentPerfumingSolvent Good for Dry SkinFungal-acne trigger
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant, Skin conditioning
Potentially comedogenic - can block poresRead moreShow less
EWG 3 AntioxidantSkin conditioning Bad for Oily Skin
Stearic Acid
Fragrance, Sufactant
Potentially comedogenic - can block poresRead moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceSufactantEmulsifyingSurfactantsurfactant-cleansing agent is included as a function for the soap form of stearic acid.Emulsion stabilisingMaskingRefatting Bad for Oily SkinFungal-acne trigger
Phenoxyethanol
Fragrance, Preservative
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR A FragrancePreservative Paraben
+ 1 more — see the full ingredients list above

How to use

How to use

  • 1 Morning only: Apply as the last step of your AM routine, after moisturiser, and reapply every ~2 hours of sun exposure.

General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.

Trust & honesty

Effective levels — general guide

The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.

Niacinamide 2–5% (up to 10%)

Most research uses 2–5%; some formulas go to 10%. Very high levels can cause flushing in sensitive skin.

Niacinamide

INCI lists don't disclose amounts, and we don't claim to know this product's levels — these are the ranges these ingredients are usually effective at, so you can tell a real formula from "fairy-dusting" a marketed active. How we estimate this.

From the community

0
Reviews
0
Saved by users
0
In collections

Ratings & reviews

Write a Review
0.0
from 0 ratings

Used this product? Rate it in 10 seconds

Alternatives