Based on the ingredient list, we assess that "Glossier - Invisible Shield Water-Gel Transparent Sunscreen SPF 35" can provide 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. Like all broad-spectrum sunscreens, this product helps prevent early signs of aging.
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: avobenzone 3.00% (declared), butyloctyl salicylate 5.50% - 8.20%, octisalate 5.00% (declared) and homosalate 6.00% (declared).
There are some common irritants in this product, including ingredients that do not have benefits for the skin. We assess the overall irritancy of this product 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.
According to Cruelty-Free Kitty "Glossier" is cruelty free and so is its parent company.
This product can 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.
Can contain potent anti-oxidant compounds (abbreviated ECG, GCG, EGC, and EGCG) that might help protect the skin from free radicals. Can help calm down inflammation and has some anti-bacterial properties. Unfortunately, these antioxidants are unstable and lose their effectiveness very quickly in products. The concentration of the antioxidant compounds in the extract also tends to be low to be effective in topical formulation
Being a lipid soluble form of vitamin C, it is more stable and can penetrate the skin better than L-Ascorbic acid. It is effective in protecting the skin from free radicals, as well as evening the skin tone, but is less effective in stimulating collagen production compared to L-Ascorbic acid.
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).
A salt derived from licorice. Works as an emollient to soften the upper layer of the skin and can help calm down inflammation. Might be helpful for skin lightening
Can contain potent anti-oxidant compounds (abbreviated ECG, GCG, EGC, and EGCG) that might help protect the skin from free radicals. Can help calm down inflammation and has some anti-bacterial properties. Unfortunately, these antioxidants are unstable and lose their effectiveness very quickly in products. The concentration of the antioxidant compounds in the extract also tends to be low to be effective in topical formulation
This product offers a good level of protection against both UVB and UVA rays.
This sunscreen uses organic (so-called "chemical") sunscreen filters. Organic, or "chemical" filters usually provide reliable sun protection and rarely leave a white cast. Sunscreens with organic filters can sting eyes.
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.
Avobenzone. An organic, or so-called "chemical" UV filter. Protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Needs to be combined with other filters in a formulation to be stable.
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
A weak sunscreen that offers some protection against the sun rays that cause sunburn (UVB), but does not offer meaningful protection against protect against the most aging sun rays (UVA). It loses its effectiveness quickly when exposed to sunlight. It is an organic, or so called "chemical" sunscreen. When used in low concentrations, helps to stabilize the product formulation
Octisalate. A UV filter. It offers some protection against the sun rays that cause sunburn (UVB), but does not protect against the most aging sun rays (UVA). It loses its effectiveness quickly when exposed to sunlight. It is an organic, or so called "chemical" sunscreen
This product contains good ingredients to attract water to the upper layer of the skin. These ingredients are called "humectants": betaine, butylene glycol.
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. If the air is dry, humectants can speed up the moisture loss from the skin. This is why it is a good idea to use another product on top of this one to help "seal in" the moisture (look for ingredients like dimethicone, squalane, oils and butters).
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and improves the product texture
Helps improve the product texture and soften the upper layer of the skin
Used to preserve products, dissolve other ingredients and create a nice product texture
A type of silicone that helps to soften the upper layer of the skin and create a nice product finish on the skin
Used to create a nice product texture and help delivery of other ingredients. Might be somewhat helpful in attracting water to the upper layer of the skin
A salt derived from licorice. Works as an emollient to soften the upper layer of the skin and can help calm down inflammation. Might be helpful for skin lightening
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
Can contain potent anti-oxidant compounds (abbreviated ECG, GCG, EGC, and EGCG) that might help protect the skin from free radicals. Can help calm down inflammation and has some anti-bacterial properties. Unfortunately, these antioxidants are unstable and lose their effectiveness very quickly in products. The concentration of the antioxidant compounds in the extract also tends to be low to be effective in topical formulation
| Promise | Can it deliver? |
|---|---|
| Sun protection |
Total Promises Fulfilled score: 100/100.
No comedogenic ingredients detected
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Avobenzone. An organic, or so-called "chemical" UV filter. Protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Needs to be combined with other filters in a formulation to be stable.
A weak sunscreen that offers some protection against the sun rays that cause sunburn (UVB), but does not offer meaningful protection against protect against the most aging sun rays (UVA). It loses its effectiveness quickly when exposed to sunlight. It is an organic, or so called "chemical" sunscreen. When used in low concentrations, helps to stabilize the product formulation
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
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and improves the product texture
An essentil oil from orange peel. Potential allergen and can be irritating
Avobenzone. An organic, or so-called "chemical" UV filter. Protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Needs to be combined with other filters in a formulation to be stable.
A weak sunscreen that offers some protection against the sun rays that cause sunburn (UVB), but does not offer meaningful protection against protect against the most aging sun rays (UVA). It loses its effectiveness quickly when exposed to sunlight. It is an organic, or so called "chemical" sunscreen. When used in low concentrations, helps to stabilize the product formulation
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
Used to stabilize product formulation, help create an even product layer over skin (for example, in sunscreen) and create a thicker product consistency
Helps improve the product texture and soften the upper layer of the skin
Helps improve the product texture and soften the upper layer of the skin
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.
A plant extract that might help neutralize free radicals in skin, but research on its effectiveness is lacking
Used to preserve products, dissolve other ingredients and create 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
Might have some anti-inflammatory properties but research is lacking
Being a lipid soluble form of vitamin C, it is more stable and can penetrate the skin better than L-Ascorbic acid. It is effective in protecting the skin from free radicals, as well as evening the skin tone, but is less effective in stimulating collagen production compared to L-Ascorbic acid.
We couldn't find any comedogenic ingredients in this product
Avobenzone. An organic, or so-called "chemical" UV filter. Protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Needs to be combined with other filters in a formulation to be stable.
A weak sunscreen that offers some protection against the sun rays that cause sunburn (UVB), but does not offer meaningful protection against protect against the most aging sun rays (UVA). It loses its effectiveness quickly when exposed to sunlight. It is an organic, or so called "chemical" sunscreen. When used in low concentrations, helps to stabilize the product formulation
Octisalate. A UV filter. It offers some protection against the sun rays that cause sunburn (UVB), but does not protect against the most aging sun rays (UVA). It loses its effectiveness quickly when exposed to sunlight. It is an organic, or so called "chemical" sunscreen
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
Helps to dissolve other ingredients in a formulation. Slows down the rate of product drying
A type of silicone that helps create a silky product finish and dissolve other ingredients
A type of silicone that helps to soften the upper layer of the skin and create a nice product finish on the skin
Acts as a solvent for other ingredients. Speeds up the absorption of other ingredients into the skin
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and improves the product texture
Used to stabilize product formulation, help create an even product layer over skin (for example, in sunscreen) and create a thicker product consistency
Increases thickness of a product. Texture enhancer for oil-in-water emulsions
A preservative. It helps prevent bacterial growth in cosmetic products
Helps improve the product texture and soften the upper layer of the skin
Helps improve the product texture and soften the upper layer of the skin
Used to create a nice product texture and help delivery of other ingredients. Might be somewhat helpful in attracting water to the upper layer of the skin
An essentil oil from orange peel. Potential allergen and can be irritating
A salt derived from licorice. Works as an emollient to soften the upper layer of the skin and can help calm down inflammation. Might be helpful for skin lightening
Helps create a thicker or gel-like product texture. It is not a surfactant but can be used in gentle cleansing formulations
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.
A plant extract that might help neutralize free radicals in skin, but research on its effectiveness is lacking
Used to preserve products, dissolve other ingredients and create 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
Might help to reduce inflammation in skin, but solid research is lacking
Might have some anti-inflammatory properties but research is lacking
Can contain potent anti-oxidant compounds (abbreviated ECG, GCG, EGC, and EGCG) that might help protect the skin from free radicals. Can help calm down inflammation and has some anti-bacterial properties. Unfortunately, these antioxidants are unstable and lose their effectiveness very quickly in products. The concentration of the antioxidant compounds in the extract also tends to be low to be effective in topical formulation
Being a lipid soluble form of vitamin C, it is more stable and can penetrate the skin better than L-Ascorbic acid. It is effective in protecting the skin from free radicals, as well as evening the skin tone, but is less effective in stimulating collagen production compared to L-Ascorbic acid.
Butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl salicylate, Water, Butyloctyl salicylate, Dipropylene glycol, Methyl trimethicone, Biosaccharide gum-4, Caprylyl methicone, Propanediol, Bis-ethylhexyl hydroxydimethoxy benzylmalonate, Betaine, Acrylates copolymer, Ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/vp copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrolyzed wheat protein/pvp crosspolymer, Dibutyl lauroyl glutamide, Dibutyl ethylhexanoyl glutamide, Butylene glycol, Citrus aurantium dulcis peel oil, Dipotassium glycyrrhizate, Carbomer, Tocopheryl acetate, Aminomethyl propanol, Hippophae rhamnoides fruit extract, Disodium edta, Pentylene glycol, Aloe barbadensis leaf extract, Silica, Bioflavonoids, Potassium sorbate, Hydroxyphenyl propamidobenzoic acid, Brassica oleracea italica extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Camellia sinensis leaf extract, Ascorbyl palmitate
