Hawaiian Tropic Duo Defense Refresh Mist SPF 15
Works for
0 of 1 advertised claim delivered
Sun protectionSPF 15 · 3 UV filters · Broad spectrumWeak protectionSPF under 30
This product offers broad spectrum sun protection, but it is weak. We recommend to use a broad spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30.
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.
MoisturizingNot advertised by the brand · 5 ingredients credited for this claimGood support
This product can help soften the skin and reduce its moisture loss with emollients and occlusives: dimethicone, isododecane.
Keep in mind that this product does not contain effective ingredients to attract water to the upper layer of the skin. This is why an additional product with humectants like glycerin or hyaluronic acid can be helpful (apply it before this product for the best results).
Can it cause trouble?
Irritancy6 strong irritants: Alcohol denat., Parfum + 4 more — patch-test recommendedHigh risk
ComedogenicClean of flagged comedogenic ingredientsNone flagged
User reviews
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Ingredients
Filter by role to see what each ingredient is doing.
Alcohol denat.~24–35%
- Irritation risk
- High
Produces temporary toning effect. Can help dissolve other ingredients or preserve products
More about Alcohol denat.Isododecane~6.6–10%
- Irritation risk
- Low
An emollient that helps soften the skin and can decrease moisture loss. Helps create a nice product texture
More about IsododecaneHomosalate~4.8–7.1%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
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
More about HomosalateOctocrylene~4–6%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
A weak sunscreen that protects against the sun rays that cause sunburn (UVB) and is somewhat effective against the UVA rays. It is quite stable and can help stabilize other, more vulnerable, sunscreen ingredients like Avobenzone. It is an organic, or so called "chemical" sunscreen
More about OctocryleneDiisopropyl adipate~2.9–4.3%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps soften the upper layer of the skin
More about Diisopropyl adipateButyl methoxydibenzoylmethane~2.5–3.8%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
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.
More about Butyl methoxydibenzoylmethaneVa/butyl maleate/isobornyl acrylate copolymer~1.5–2.2%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Caprylyl glycol~1.4–2.2%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps preserve products and creates a nice product texture
More about Caprylyl glycolDimethicone~1.2–1.8%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A silicone that helps to reduce water loss from the surface of the skin. Can temporarily "fill in" lines and wrinkles, absorb oil, and create a nice product finish
More about DimethiconeParfum~0.5–1.15%
- Irritation risk
- High
An aromatic blend of unspecified and possibly irritating ingredients
More about ParfumCamellia sinensis leaf extract~0.4–0.9%
- Irritation risk
- Low
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
More about Camellia sinensis leaf extractHexyl cinnamal~0.2–0.7%
Linalool~0.1–0.5%
Butylphenyl methylpropional~0.1–0.4%
- Irritation risk
- High
A fragrance. Can trigger allergic reactions and be irritating
More about Butylphenyl methylpropionalLimonene~0.1–0.35%
- Irritation risk
- High
A common frangrance that can easily irritate skin, especially if exposed to air, light or heat
More about LimoneneIngredient list view
Alcohol denat., Isododecane, Homosalate, Octocrylene, Diisopropyl adipate, Butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, Va/butyl maleate/isobornyl acrylate copolymer, Caprylyl glycol, Dimethicone, Parfum, Camellia sinensis leaf extract, Hexyl cinnamal, Linalool, Butylphenyl methylpropional, Limonene
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Product summary
"Hawaiian Tropic - Duo Defense Refresh Mist SPF 15" offers broad spectrum protection. It means that it protects from both UVA and UVB rays (you can remember UVB as "burning" sunlight - they cause sunburn. You can remember UVA rays as "aging" - they do not lead to sunburn, but they cause photodamage and contribute to early signs of skin aging and hyperpigmentation). On the negative side, the SPF of this product is not high enough. We recommend to use a sunscreen with at least SPF 30 daily.
It also works as a moisturizer, so you do not have to use an additional hydrating product.
Sunscreen filters
This sunscreen uses so-called "chemical", or organic UV filters (organic simply means that their molecules contain atoms of carbon). These filters typically give good sun protection and rarely leave a white cast, but they can be irritating for sensitive skin. These are the sun protection ingredients in this sunscreen: avobenzone 2.50% - 3.80%, homosalate 4.80% - 7.10% and octocrylene 4.00% - 6.00%.
Irritation risk
There are quite a few common irritants in this product, including ingredients without particular skin benefits. We would not recommend it for sensitive skin. We assess the overall irritancy of this sunscreen to be high. 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 8.99£ in the United Kingdom.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Sources cited in this review
Every concentration estimate and effectiveness label is anchored to one of these 3 studies and safety reviews.
- 1
- 2
- 3Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Dimethicone Copolyoljournals.sagepub.com
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