Dr. Denese New York SPF 30 Defense Day Cream
The Dr. Denese New York SPF 30 Defense Day Cream is a sunscreen. Our analysis of its 37 ingredients (32 low-risk) rates it Excellent (92/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to dry and sensitive skin.
The Dr. Denese New York SPF 30 Defense Day Cream is a sunscreen. Our analysis of its 37 ingredients (32 low-risk) rates it Excellent (92/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to dry and sensitive skin.
Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.
The evidence
| EWG | CIR | Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
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Zinc Oxide
(Bulking Agent, Cosmetic Colorant, Skin Protecting, Sunscreen Agent) |
Good for Oily Skin
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Cinoxate
(Sunscreen Agent, Uv Absorber) |
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Cyclomethicone
(Antistatic Agent, Emollient, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Solvent, Viscosity Controlling) |
Silicone
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Water
(Solvent) |
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Dimethicone
(Antifoaming Agent, Skin Protecting, Emollient, Skin Conditioning) |
Silicone
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Polysilicone-8
(Antifoaming Agent, Film Forming, Hair Conditioning) |
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Glyceryl Behenate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
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C12-15 Pareth-12
(Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
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C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Antimicrobial) |
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Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
(Emollient, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Skin Conditioning) |
Good for Sensitive Skin
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Talc
(Abrasive, Absorbent, Anticaking Agent, Bulking Agent, Opacifying, Skin Protecting, Slip Modifier) |
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Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
(Uv Absorber, Uv Filter) |
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Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient) |
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DEA-Oleth-3 Phosphate
(Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
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Dimethicone Copolyol |
Silicone
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PEG-180
(Binding Agent, Humectant, Solvent) |
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Melanin
(Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting) |
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Hydrogenated Lecithin
(Skin Conditioning, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Suspending Agent Nonsurfactant) |
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Butylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Solvent, Viscositydecreasing Agent, Humectant, Masking, Viscosity Controlling) |
Good for Dry Skin
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Phytonadione
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A) |
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne Trigger
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Tocopheryl Acetate
(Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning) |
Bad for Oily Skin
|
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Ascorbyl Palmitate
(Antioxidant, Masking) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
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Beta-Sitosterol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Stabilising) |
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Niacin
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Antistatic Agent, Smoothing) |
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Calcium Pantothenate
(Antistatic Agent, Hair Conditioning) |
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Pyridoxine HCl
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Antistatic Agent) |
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Thiamine Nitrate
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Polysorbate 80
(Denaturant, Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
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Nylon-12
(Bulking Agent, Opacifying, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Silica
(Abrasive, Absorbent, Anticaking Agent, Bulking Agent, Opacifying, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Polyglyceryl-6 Octastearate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
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Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent) |
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
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Isododecane
(Fragrance, Solvent, Emollient, Perfuming) |
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Propylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Humectant, Skin Conditioningagent Miscellaneous, Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Controlling) |
Good for Dry Skin
|
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Imidazolidinyl Urea
(Preservative) |
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Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative) |
Paraben
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No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.
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 →
How to use
General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.
Trust & honesty
Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.
Topical retinoids (retinol, retinaldehyde, retinyl esters) are widely advised against in pregnancy as a precaution. The strongest evidence is for ORAL retinoids; topical absorption is low, but most clinicians err on the side of caution.
This is general information, not medical advice. Pregnancy guidance varies and depends on concentration and your individual situation — always check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist. How we flag this.
The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.
Most studied between 0.1% and 1%. Higher is not automatically better — irritation climbs with dose, so a well-formulated lower strength is often the sweet spot.
Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A)
L-ascorbic acid is usually used at 5–20% (around 10–15% is common). Above ~20% adds little and tends to irritate more; it also needs a low pH to work.
Ascorbyl Palmitate
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.
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Alternatives
Other products people analyze alongside this one.