Works for:
based on ingredients and %- Anti-oxidation
- Anti-aging
- Moisturizing
Doesn't work for:
based on ingredients and %- Sun protection
Can it cause trouble?
- Irritation risk: low
- Comedogenic risk ingredients: 3
Key actives
Product Summary
We do not recommend "EltaMD - UV AOX Mist Broad Spectrum SPF 40" because it does not provide good UVA protection. UVA sun rays don't burn the skin, but they still lead to photoaging and hyperpigmentation.
Because it includes good moisturizing ingredients, it can also work as a hydrating day cream.
Sunscreen filters
This is a so-called "chemical" sunscreen. It means that it uses organic UV filters. They typically offer good sun protection and rarely leave a white cast, but they can be irritating for some people with sensitive skin. These are the sun protection ingredients in this sunscreen: butyloctyl salicylate 1.20% - 1.40%.
Irritation risk
This sunscreen contains actives that can be irritating. We assess the overall irritancy of it to be low. 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.
Price
The product retails for 45.00$ in the United States.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Anti-oxidation
This product contains antioxidants (tocopherol) that can help neutralize free radicals in skin. By doing so, they can lessen the damage the skin gets from the UV light (sun).
Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself
Being a lipid soluble form of vitamin C, it is more stable than ascorbic acid, but still degrades quickly and needs to be stabilized in a formulation with another ingredient. It is claimed to penetrate skin better than pure vitamin C and have the the similar benefits, but solid studies of its effectiveness are lacking. Is likely to require a higher concentration in a product than pure vitamin C to be effective. It might be able to help reduce pore clogging.
A more stable but less bio-available form of vitamin E compared to Tocopherol. Might help moisturize and protect the skin from free radicals, but mostly used in low concentrations to stabilize other ingredients.
Anti-aging
This product contains tocopherol. This ingredient help neutralize free radicals in skin. By doing so, they might be able to prevent early signs of aging (like fine lines and wrinkles), at least to some extent. These ingredients will not be able to "reverse" signs of aging. The biggest anti-aging effect in this product comes from sun protection. Sun damage is the main factor causing early signs of skin aging. We, however, do not recommend using this product as a sunscreen because the protection it offers is not strong enough).
Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself
Being a lipid soluble form of vitamin C, it is more stable than ascorbic acid, but still degrades quickly and needs to be stabilized in a formulation with another ingredient. It is claimed to penetrate skin better than pure vitamin C and have the the similar benefits, but solid studies of its effectiveness are lacking. Is likely to require a higher concentration in a product than pure vitamin C to be effective. It might be able to help reduce pore clogging.
Traditionally used to treat sunburns, dermatitis and inflammation, but evidence for its effectiveness is lacking. The extract can contain humectants that help attract water into the skin
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, aloe barbadensis extract.
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: cocos nucifera fruit extract, octyldodecyl neopentanoate.
An emollient that helps soften the skin. Often used to stabilize other ingredients, for example, sunscreen
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
An emollient. Found to be as effective as a moisturizer for dry skin as mineral oil. Could be comedogenic
Helps to soften the upper layer of the skin without creating a greasy texture
A non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture
Traditionally used to treat sunburns, dermatitis and inflammation, but evidence for its effectiveness is lacking. The extract can contain humectants that help attract water into the skin
Helps soften the upper layer of the skin and create a nice product texture
Improves the texture of the product and helps soften the skin. Helps oil and water mix together and can be used as a cleansing agent
Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself
Traditionally used to treat sunburns, dermatitis and inflammation, but evidence for its effectiveness is lacking. The extract can contain humectants that help attract water into the skin
Sun protection
This product does not offer good protection against UVA rays.
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.
A synthetic ester of salicylic acid that is used to help disperse pigments and boost effectiveness of sunscreen ingredients. It is able to absorb UV light (working as an organic, or chemical filter), but is not approved as a sunscreen ingredient on its own
How honest is this product?
| Promise | Can it deliver? |
|---|---|
| Sun protection |
Total Promises Fulfilled score: 60/100.
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Potential irritants
Comedogenic ingredients
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| Product | Similarity | Price | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
 EltaMD UV AOX Mist Broad Spectrum SPF 40 | Current | $45.00 | |
 SkinMedica Total Defense + Repair SPF 50+ | 29% | $65.28 | |
Coco & Eve UK Daily Water Gel SPF50+ Sunscreen | 28% | $23.00 | |
CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 with Zinc Oxide | 27% | $18.49 | |
 A-DERMA Protect Kids Children Spray Very High Protection SPF50+ | 27% | $13.70 | |
 La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra-Light Sun Cream Spray SPF50 | 26% | - |
Key Actives
Potential irritants
Comedogenic ingredients
All ingredients
Ingredient list view
Unspecified form of vitamin c, Tocopherol, Glycerin, Cocos nucifera fruit extract, Glycerin, Aloe barbadensis extract, Water, Octyldodecyl neopentanoate, C15-19 alkane, Butyloctyl salicylate, Coco-caprylate/caprate, Polyhydroxystearic acid, Cetearyl alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Coco-glucoside, Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, Tocopheryl acetate, Isohexadecane, Sclerotium gum, Glycerin, Cocos nucifera fruit extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan isostearate
- Vitamin E in dermatology
- Vitamin E and Skin Health
- Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functions
- Amended Safety Assessment of Alkyl Esters as Used in Cosmetics
- Safety assessment of Salicylic Acid, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Calcium Salicylate, C12-15 Alkyl Salicylate, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Hexyldodecyl Salicylate, Isocetyl Salicylate, Isodecyl Salicylate, Magnesium Salicylate, MEA-Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Potassium Salicylate, Methyl Salicylate, Myristyl Salicylate, Sodium Salicylate, TEA-Salicylate, and Tridecyl Salicylate
- Safety Assessment of Alkyl Esters as Used in Cosmetics
- In Vitro Assessment of Skin Irritation Potential of Surfactant-based Formulations by Using a 3-D Skin Reconstructed Tissue Model and Cytokine Response
- Allergen of the Year—Alkyl Glucoside
- 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