Dr Dennis Gross Skincare Dark Spot Sun Defense SPF50
- Anti-aging
- Exfoliation
- Moisturizing
- Sun protection
- +2 more
- glycolic acid
- tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate
- ascorbyl glucoside
- palmitoyl tripeptide-38
- +19 more

Price comparison
Product summary
Based on the ingredients included, we believe that this product can offer reliable sun protection. We love that it can protect from both UVA and UVB rays (not all sunscreens with SPF ratings give UVA protection. UVA rays do not cause sunburn, but still damage our skin and lead to early aging).
Because it includes good moisturizing ingredients, it can also work as a hydrating day cream. This product prevents early signs of aging by protecting against sun damage (all broad spectrum sunscreens do that).
Sunscreen filters
This is a mineral sunscreen. It uses titanium dioxide and zinc oxide for sun protection. Both titanium dioxide and zinc oxide almost never irritate even the most sensitive skin and eyes, but can leave a white cast.
Irritation risk
This product contains some common irritants, including those without a benefit for the skin. We assess the overall irritancy of this sunscreen to be medium. For a detailed overview of all potential irritants: click here
You can see the detailed formula review with the breakdown of all actives in the product and the full ingredient list with estimated concentrations in the tables below.
About the brand
According to Cruelty-Free Kitty "Dr Dennis Gross" is cruelty free and so is its parent company.
Price
The product retails from 41.58$ up to 46.00$ in the United States, for 46.00£ in the United Kingdom and for 80.50CA$ in Canada.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Can the product deliver on its promises?
WIMJ summary for sun protection
This product offers a good level of protection against both UVB and UVA rays.
It is a mineral sunscreen. In other words, it contains non-organic UV filters. It will probably not sting your eyes but might leave a white cast.
This product can be considered "reef safe" because it does not contain the UV filters (oxybenzone and octinoxate) that can be harmful to coral reefs when present in the water in high concentrations.
Non-organic (mineral) filters
Ingredient | UVB | UVA I | UVA II | Stability |
---|---|---|---|---|
zinc oxide | ||||
titanium dioxide |
Promise
What does the product description say?WIMJ summary for anti-aging
This product can help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness because it contains glycolic acid.
These ingredients in the product can also be helpful, even though there is less evidence for their effectiveness: ascorbyl glucoside, palmitoyl tripeptide-38.
Keep in mind that it typically takes at least 6 weeks to notice any results because the changes that are needed to improve fine lines and elasticity happen in the deeper layers of the skin. No topical anti-aging product can “erase” wrinkles or fully reverse signs of aging.
This product can also help prevent early signs of skin aging because it offers a good level of broad spectrum sun protection. Sun damage is the main cause of premature skin aging, and protecting your skin from the sun is the best anti-aging strategy.
Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
---|---|---|---|
HIGH | |||
MEDIUM
| |||
MEDIUM
|
Promise
What does the product description say?WIMJ summary for evens skin tone
This product offers broad spectrum sun protection. It means that it can prevent hyperpigmentation and help keep the skin tone even (sun damage is the main factor causing age spots, darkening of post-acne marks and other discolorations).
Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
---|---|---|---|
HIGH | |||
MEDIUM
| |||
HIGH |
Promise
What does the product description say?WIMJ summary for exfoliation
This product can help exfoliate the skin. In other words, it helps break down the bonds between dead cells on the surface of the skin and speed up the skin turnover. Skin often appears softer and brighter after exfoliation, but overdoing it can result in disrupted skin barrier. The following ingredient is doing the exfoliating job in this product: glycolic acid.
Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
---|---|---|---|
HIGH |
Promise
What does the product description say?WIMJ summary for moisturizing
This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.
The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from
within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job:
glycerin, saccharide isomerate.
This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: carthamus tinctorius seed oil, oenothera biennis oil.
The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: palmitoyl tripeptide-38
Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
---|---|---|---|
HIGH | |||
HIGH | |||
HIGH |
WIMJ summary for anti-oxidation
This product contains antioxidants (ascorbyl glucoside, melatonin) that might be able to help neutralize free radicals in skin to lessen the damage it gets from the UV light (sun). There is not enough evidence to confirm their effectiveness in skin though.
Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
---|---|---|---|
MEDIUM
| |||
MEDIUM
| |||
LOW
|
How honest is this product?
Promise | Can it deliver? |
---|---|
Sun protection | |
Evens skin tone | |
Anti-aging | |
Moisturizing | |
Exfoliation |
Potential irritants

Ingredient | Irritancy | Skin Benefit |
---|---|---|
pentylene glycol | ||
olea europaea fruit oil | ||
coconut alkanes |
Ingredients by volume
Ingredient | Estimated concentration |
---|---|
Works as a UV filter when used in high concentrations. It is photostable and is effective mostly against the UVB light, with some protection in the UVA range. In small concentrations, used for its ability to improve the color of cosmetic products. Is usually well tolerated by the skin
| 4.9%
Declared
|
A broad spectrum sunblock (protects from both UVA and UVB rays). Is suitable for most sensitive skins. In small concentrations, can be used as a colorant
| 4.42%
Declared
|
Plain old water
| 45% - 55% |
Show more |
Similar products & dupes
Dr Dennis Gross - Skincare Dark Spot Sun Defense SPF50 | MALIN + GOETZ - SPF30 Sunscreen High Protection | La Roche-Posay - Anthelios HA Mineral Daily Moisturizing Face Sunscreen SPF 30 with Hyaluronic Acid | iS Clinical - Extreme Protect SPF 40 | Glo Skin Beauty - Solar Shade SPF 50 | CF Products - CF Meet you Matte SPF40 | SkinCeuticals - Physical UV Defense SPF 30 Mineral sunscreen for sensitive skin | Colorescience - All Calm Clinical Redness Corrector SPF 50 - Not Boxed | Colorescience UK - All Calm Clinical Redness Corrector SPF 50 | SkinMedica - Essential Defense Everyday Clear Broad Spectrum SPF 47 | ISNTREE - Sensitive balancing spf 50 | |
Price | |||||||||||
WIMJ similarity score | 34% | 34% | 33% | 32% | 32% | 32% | 31% | 31% | 31% | 31% | |
SPF | SPF 50 | SPF 30 | SPF 30 | SPF 40 | SPF 50 | SPF 40 | SPF 30 | SPF 50 | SPF 50 | SPF 47 | SPF 50 |
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Irritancy | ![]() IRRITANCY
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Questions
Skincare resources
Scientific Sources
- A review of inorganic UV filters zinc oxide and titanium dioxide
- Risk assessment of zinc oxide, a cosmetic ingredient used as a UV filter of sunscreens
- Characterization of the UVA protection provided by avobenzone, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide in broad-spectrum sunscreen products
- Ultraviolet Protection Properties of Commercial Sunscreens and Sunscreens Containing Zno Nanorods
- ZnO nanoparticles and organic chemical UV-filters are equally well tolerated by human immune cells
- Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functions
- Use of “natural” oils for moisturization: Review of olive, coconut, and sunflower seed oil
- [Melatonin in dermatology. Experimental and clinical aspects]
- The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health
- Stability, transdermal penetration, and cutaneous effects of ascorbic acid and its derivatives
- Topical L-ascorbic acid: percutaneous absorption studies
- Double-blind, half-face study comparing topical vitamin C and vehicle for rejuvenation of photodamage
- Application of tetra-isopalmitoyl ascorbic acid in cosmetic formulations: Stability studies and in vivo efficacy
- Vitamin E in dermatology
- Vitamin E and Skin Health
- Nordihydroguaiaretic acid, an inhibitor of lipoxygenase, also inhibits cytochrome P-450-mediated monooxygenase activity in rat epidermal and hepatic microsomes.
- Antimutagenic and antitumorigenic activities of nordihydroguaiaretic acid
- Estrogenic activity of an antioxidant, nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA)
- Molecular mechanisms and clinical applications of nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) and its derivatives: An update
- Healing fats of the skin: the structural and immunologic roles of the omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids
- Use of boerhavia diffusa extract for skin relief
- Plant-Derived Immunomodulators
- Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin aging
- Hyaluronan (Hyaluronic Acid): a natural moisturizer for skin care
- The role of epidermal sphingolipids in dermatologic diseases
- Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Anthocyanins Extracted from Oryza sativa L. in Primary Dermal Fibroblasts
- Rice antioxidants: phenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, tocopherols, tocotrienols, c-oryzanol, and phytic acid
- Photoprotective and antiinflammatory effects of topical glycolic acid
- Glycolic acid peel therapy – a current review
- Dual Effects of Alpha-Hydroxy Acids on the Skin
- Zinc L-pyrrolidone carboxylate inhibits the UVA-induced production of matrix metalloproteinase-1 by in vitro cultured skin fibroblasts, whereas it enhances their collagen synthesis
- Zinc Therapy in Dermatology: A Review
- Effectiveness of the formulation that containing oleanolic acid 3% on inhibition of 5-α reductase activity on skin of patients with acne
- The effect of ursolic and oleanolic acids on human skin fibroblast cells
- Safety Assessment of Alkyl Esters as Used in Cosmetics
- Safety Assessment of Alumina and Aluminum Hydroxide as Used in Cosmetics
- Safety Assessment of Tromethamine as Used in Cosmetics
- Safety Assessment of Citrus-Derived Peel Oils as Used in Cosmetics
- Oxidized citrus oil (R-limonene): A frequent skin sensitizer in Europe