innisfree Daily UV Defense Sunscreen for dry skin
Avobenzone
Homosalate
Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene
Centella Asiatica Extract
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Average
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry skin; other sunscreens fit it better.
- Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate suitability for your dry skin due to the presence of glycerin for humectant action, but it lacks sufficient emollient and occlusive ingredients for optimal hydration, and Centella Asiatica Extract and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract provide soothing benefits.
- The formula provides excellent UV protection with homosalate, ethylhexyl salicylate, and butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, though it offers general skincare benefits rather than specialized intense moisturization for your dry or flaky skin.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your dry skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Apply this sunscreen during your AM routine every morning. Reapply every two hours when exposed to the sun.
- Apply the sunscreen as the final step in your morning routine after your moisturizer.
- Gently smooth a nickel-sized amount over your face and neck, avoiding harsh rubbing.
- Apply the sunscreen on clean, dry skin to ensure even protection and absorption.
- Avoid the immediate eye area and do a patch test before first use.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 3.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this water-based chemical sunscreen is highly recommended for dry to normal skin types due to its lightweight, lotion-like consistency that hydrates and provides a dewy, glass-skin finish without any white cast. Users with oily or acne-prone skin frequently report a greasy or shiny appearance, and a notable number of individuals with sensitive eyes experience stinging, often attributed to the fragrance and chemical filters.
Highlights
Hydrating texture Mostly Mentioned
- “feels like a moisturizer”
- “skips my morning lotion”
- “soothing green tea ingredients”
Glowy finish Often Mentioned
- “gives a healthy dewy glow”
- “glass skin effect”
- “great under makeup”
No white cast Often Mentioned
- “completely invisible on dark skin”
- “zero cast, clear finish”
- “blends in like a lotion”
Greasy/shiny finish Often Mentioned
- “too oily for my skin”
- “looks like a greaseball”
- “shiny T-zone by noon”
Affordable price Sometimes Noted
- “great value for the price”
- “cheaper than other Sephora SPFs”
Eye irritation Sometimes Noted
- “stings my eyes badly”
- “makes eyes water”
- “burns when sweating”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “scent is too overpowering”
- “smells like herbal perfume”
- “lingering floral smell”
Causes breakouts Rarely Noted
- “clogged my pores”
- “caused small whiteheads”
- “broke me out”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, amazon.com, innisfree.com, reddit.com, youtube.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does innisfree Daily UV Defense work for dry skin?
This sunscreen works moderately well for dry skin because it contains glycerin for moisture and centella extract for soothing, though it lacks enough rich softening and sealing ingredients for optimal hydration. A sunscreen for dry skin needs extra moisturizing agents and heavy oils or butters to lock in hydration and prevent flaking.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for dry skin?
Glycerin helps add moisture, while centella asiatica extract and camellia sinensis leaf extract provide soothing benefits. However, this skin type needs extra softening and sealing ingredients like rich oils and butters to lock in hydration.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Avobenzone do for dry skin?
Avobenzone provides UV protection for dry skin, though it is usually paired with ingredients that hold onto moisture to help keep skin soft and smooth. Studies show it has an excellent safety profile with minimal risk of irritation when used in formulated sunscreens.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2025Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine, 2014
What does Homosalate do for dry skin?
Homosalate helps protect dry skin from sun damage while carrying a low risk of skin irritation. However, because dry skin needs extra moisture and barrier support, this type of product works best when it also includes rich hydrators and soothing ingredients.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This sunscreen goes in the morning routine after your moisturizer, as the final step before makeup. Dry skin needs a product of this type that also includes rich moisturizing ingredients and protective oils to keep flaky skin soft and smooth.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this sunscreen in the morning as the final step after applying your retinol treatment and moisturizer the night before, or after your morning moisturizer. It is unlikely to irritate dry skin because it avoids harsh ingredients, but because it lacks heavy softening and sealing ingredients, dry skin needs an extra rich moisturizer underneath.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this sunscreen every morning as the final step of your daytime skincare routine to protect your skin from UV rays. While it provides soothing plant extracts and basic hydration, dry skin also needs richer moisturizing ingredients and sealing oils to stay soft and comfortable all day.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This sunscreen is unlikely to cause breakouts for dry skin as it has a very low risk of clogging pores or causing irritation. A product for this skin type needs extra softening and sealing ingredients like rich oils or butters to lock in moisture.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum). Arachidyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, and cetyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Cosmetic formulations containing 5% Centella asiatica extract showed the best efficacy in improving skin moisture and decreasing transepidermal water loss, while also exhibiting antiinflammatory properties in 25 volunteers compared to baseline measurements.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Parsol 1789 and Eusolex 8020 provided slightly better photoprotection than oxybenzone in both normal and sensitized human skin when assessed using pigmentation end points, whereas all three sunscreens performed similarly against UVA-induced erythema.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1987Chemical sunscreens containing avobenzone, octocrylene, homosalate, and octisalate showed no to minimal risks of dermal irritation, sensitization, photo-allergy, and photo-irritation in human subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2025Encapsulation of ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane in lipid microparticles significantly reduced their in vivo human skin penetration compared to nonencapsulated filters.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2011Microencapsulation of the BMDBM/HP-beta-CD complex in lipid microparticles significantly decreased the percutaneous penetration of the UV filter into the stratum corneum of human volunteers compared to the non-encapsulated sunscreen agent.
Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 2011Following human skin application of an O/W emulsion containing 2% BMDBM loaded in lipospheres, 15% of the sunscreen accumulated in the uppermost layers of the stratum corneum without remarkably modifying skin permeation compared to unencapsulated sunscreen.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2008Dermal application of a sunscreen containing 10% homosalate in four volunteers resulted in delayed elimination with terminal half-times around 24 h and a bioavailability of cis-homosalate a factor of 2 lower than trans-homosalate, while metabolite ratios supported using oral-route urinary excretion fractions for dermal exposure assessments.
Archives of Toxicology, 2024Homosalate exhibited the highest permeation among tested filters with a relative permeability rate of 4.2% and a depth of 60 um, and specific thickeners and emulsifiers successfully reduced its permeation without inhibiting the skin permeation of niacinamide.
Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine, 2026An online-SPE-LC-MS/MS method successfully quantified specific urinary homosalate metabolites for up to 96 hours after dermal sunscreen application in a volunteer and detected metabolites exclusively in three German pilot participants who had used sunscreen within five days.
Analytica Chimica Acta, 2021Topical application of 0.05% w/w ECa 233 gel reduced erythema index by 0.03 U and improved early crusting and general wound appearance compared to placebo in thirty individuals undergoing facial laser resurfacing.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2020Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Topical treatment with 5% vitamin C and 0.1% madecassoside significantly improved clinical scores for wrinkles, suppleness, firmness, roughness, and skin hydration, along with functional and structural remodeling of the elastic fiber network in 20 female volunteers with photoaged skin after 6 months compared to baseline.
Experimental Dermatology, 2008Topical green tea extract significantly improved clinical symptoms, tear breakup times, and meibomian gland health compared to standard treatment in patients with dry eye and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.
Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 2017Topical low-dose green tea extract reduces UVB-induced p53 expression and apoptosis in human skin keratinocytes compared to placebo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2009An anti-acne hydrogel containing Aloe barbadensis, Garcinia mangostana, and Camellia sinensis extracts showed superior antiacne and antiblotch activities compared to 1% clindamycin gel in sixty subjects with mild-moderate acne.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
Why other sunscreens fit dry skin better
Topical application of an argan oil NLC-based hydrogel formulation increased skin hydration in healthy volunteers over a one-month period through a synergistic effect of NLC occlusion and argan oil hydration.
International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2014
Ingredients
Water, Homosalate, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Cetyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Propanediol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Octyldodecanol, Parfum, Xanthan Gum, Centella Asiatica Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil, T-Butyl Alcohol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Cardiospermum Halicacabum Vine Extract Flower Leaf, Tocopherol, Glycerin, Witch Hazel Leaf Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Opuntia Coccinellifera Fruit Extract, Orchid Extract, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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