Works for:
based on ingredients and %- Sun protection
- Evens skin tone
- Anti-aging
- Moisturizing
Can it cause trouble?
- Irritation risk: low
- Comedogenic risk ingredients: 1
Key actives
Product Summary
"Obagi - MD Physical Defense Broad Spectrum SPF40" does not provide enough UVA protection. UVA rays do not cause sunburn, but still damage the skin, leading to early signs of aging and pigmentation issues.
It contains good moisturizing ingredients and can double as a hydrating day cream.
Sunscreen filters
It is a mineral sunscreen. It uses titanium dioxide for sun protection. Titanium dioxide almost never irritates the skin or stings eyes, but it can leave a white cast.
Irritation risk
This product does not contain known common irritants and is suitable for sensitive skin. We assess the overall irritancy of this sunscreen 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 59.00$ in the United States and for 76.70CA$ in Canada.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Anti-aging
What does the product description say?
SUZANOBAGIMD Physical Defense Sunscreens defends against all 5, including high energy visible light (HEV), visible light (VIS), and infrared radiation (IR), which are all known to accelerate the aging process.
Source: Skinstore
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.
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).
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
Sun protection
What does the product description say?
MD Physical Defense Broad Spectrum SPF40
Source: Dermstore
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.
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
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
Moisturizing
What does the product description say?
Providing SPF 40 broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays, this sun cream works to repair and protect your skin.
Source: Lookfantastic CA
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, caprylyl glycol.
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: caprylic/capric triglyceride, dimethicone.
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
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
Helps to soften the upper layer of the skin
A good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin
A non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture
Helps oil and water mix together and works as an emollient
Helps preserve products and creates a nice product texture
Helps products spread more easily and works as an emollient to soften 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
How honest is this product?
| Promise | Can it deliver? |
|---|---|
| Sun protection |
Total Promises Fulfilled score: 90/100.
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Potential irritants
Comedogenic ingredients
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| Product | Similarity | Price | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
 Obagi MD Physical Defense Broad Spectrum SPF40 | Current | $69.00 | |
 Laboratoires de Biarritz Organic Alga Maris Face Sunscreen SPF50 | 41% | ≈ $24.25 | |
 NourishMax TINTED MINERAL DEFENSE SUNSCREEN SPF 30 | 40% | - | |
 The INKEY List CA SPF 30 Daily Sunscreen | 40% | ≈ $7.48 | |
 Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer Daily Defence SPF30 | 40% | ≈ $42.88 | |
 TiZO NEW! Mineral Sun Defense SPF 50 | 39% | $45.00 |
Key Actives
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
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
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
A good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin
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
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
Helps to soften the upper layer of the skin
Potential irritants
A good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin
Used to create a thicker product consistency and stabilize the formulation
Helps water and oil in the product mix well together and improves product texture
Might have some anti-inflammatory properties but research is lacking
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
Comedogenic ingredients
A non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture
All ingredients
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
A good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin
Helps products spread more easily and works as an emollient to soften skin
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
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
A non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture
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
Acts as a solvent for other ingredients. Speeds up the absorption of other ingredients into the skin
Used to create a thicker product consistency and stabilize the formulation
Helps water and oil in the product mix well together and improves product texture
Helps to soften the upper layer of the skin
A preservative. It helps prevent bacterial growth in cosmetic products
The same compound that is used safely in dental implants and bone cements. In cosmetics, it is used to improve the consistency of products
A type of silicone that helps oil and water mix well together. Helps to disperse other ingredients, e.g. pigments, evenly in a formulation
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
Might have some anti-inflammatory properties but research is lacking
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
Ingredient list view
Zinc oxide, Water, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Dicaprylyl carbonate, Titanium dioxide, Glycerin, Cetearyl alcohol, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Polyhydroxystearic acid, Cetearyl glucoside, Polyglyceryl-2 dipolyhydroxystearate, Lauryl glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl glycol, Stearic acid, Alumina, Sodium stearoyl glutamate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Xanthan gum, Silica, Caprylhydroxamic acid, Bioflavonoids, Disodium edta, Dipotassium glycyrrhizate, Brassica oleracea italica extract, Aloe barbadensis leaf extract
- 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
- Dimethicone as a protective ingredient in topical medications
- Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Dimethicone Copolyol
- Safety Assessment of Alumina and Aluminum Hydroxide as Used in Cosmetics
- Ameliorating effect of dipotassium glycyrrhizinate on an IL-4- and IL-13-induced atopic dermatitis-like skin-equivalent model
- Final report on the safety assessment of Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Potassium Glycyrrhetinate, Disodium Succinoyl Glycyrrhetinate, Glyceryl Glycyrrhetinate, Glycyrrhetinyl Stearate, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Glycyrrhizic Acid, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Disodium Glycyrrhizate, Trisodium Glycyrrhizate, Methyl Glycyrrhizate, and Potassium Glycyrrhizinate.