Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum for combination skin
Avobenzone
Homosalate
Octisalate
Octocrylene
Collagen Peptide
High
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
One of the best sunscreens for combination skin.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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
- This product offers excellent sun protection for your combination skin due to avobenzone and homosalate, while sodium octenylsuccinate starch and tocopherol help manage oily shine by absorbing excess oil and providing antioxidant benefits.
- Glycerin and propanediol ensure adequate hydration for your combination skin, complementing the antioxidant properties of tocopherol.
- The formulation is safe for your combination skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Apply this moisturizing sunscreen AM daily to protect your skin and control shine. Reapply as needed throughout the day.
- Use it as the final step of your morning routine after applying your moisturizer. It combines hydration and sun protection in one.
- Gently smooth a nickel-sized amount evenly over your face, avoiding harsh rubbing. Let it absorb fully before putting on makeup.
- Apply it directly to clean, dry skin for the best oil-controlling finish. Ensure your face is completely dry so the product sets properly.
- Avoid the immediate eye area during application. Do a patch test before your first use to check for any sensitivity.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 2.6k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users love this product's lightweight, serum-like texture that absorbs quickly and leaves no white cast, making it ideal for darker skin tones and daily wear. Its hydrating formula provides a desirable glow, and it performs well under makeup. However, some users with very oily or acne-prone skin find it too greasy or shiny.
Highlights
Lightweight serum Mostly Mentioned
- “feels like nothing”
- “absorbs in seconds”
- “not tacky or sticky”
- “thin fluid consistency”
No white cast Mostly Mentioned
- “works on dark skin”
- “truly invisible finish”
- “no white cast at all”
- “blends seamlessly”
Hydrating glow Often Mentioned
- “doubles as moisturizer”
- “leaves a healthy glow”
- “skin feels smoother”
- “glassy skin finish”
Good under makeup Sometimes Noted
- “no pilling”
- “sits great under foundation”
- “acts like a primer”
- “makeup looks smooth”
High price Sometimes Noted
- “expensive for amount”
- “bottle is small”
- “pricey for daily SPF”
- “splurge item”
Too greasy Sometimes Noted
- “too radiant for oily skin”
- “looked shiny by noon”
- “felt heavy on t-zone”
- “greasy residue”
Chemical scent Rarely Noted
- “faint lab smell”
- “chemical scent lingers”
- “smells like sunscreen”
- “weird odor”
Eye irritation Rarely Noted
- “stings my eyes”
- “caused tearing”
- “avoid eye area”
- “eyes sensitive to filters”
Sources: lovi.care, kiehls.com, ulta.com, sephora.com, reddit.com, nubelease.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum a great fit for combination skin?
This product is a great fit for your combination skin because it provides strong sun protection while using ingredients like sodium octenylsuccinate starch and tocopherol to manage oily shine. Glycerin and propanediol keep your skin hydrated without feeling heavy, and the gentle formula is very unlikely to cause irritation.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for combination skin?
Avobenzone and homosalate provide sun protection, while sodium octenylsuccinate starch and tocopherol help manage oily shine. Glycerin and propanediol ensure your skin stays comfortably hydrated without feeling heavy.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Avobenzone do for combination skin?
Avobenzone helps protect combination skin from sun damage, but it is best used in a stable formulation because it can break down under sunlight. Encapsulating this ingredient or combining it with photostability boosters may reduce skin irritation and improve safety.
European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2023Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology. B, Biology, 2015
What does Homosalate do for combination skin?
Homosalate helps protect combination skin from UV rays while generally being well tolerated without causing skin irritation. Chemical sunscreens containing this ingredient show a very low likelihood of causing redness or allergic reactions.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This moisturizing spf goes in the morning routine as the final step after your moisturizer. It protects your combination skin from the sun while helping keep oily shine in check and providing adequate hydration.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this moisturizing spf during your morning routine after applying your retinol treatment in the evening. It provides great sun protection while keeping your combination skin soft and hydrated without irritation.
How often should I use this serum?
This product is a great fit for your combination skin, providing strong sun protection and keeping oily shine under control. You can use it every morning as the final step in your routine.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for combination skin, as its formulation is safe and free of harsh ingredients that typically trigger irritation. Glycerin and propanediol help keep the skin hydrated without feeling heavy.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Encapsulating avobenzone in low-porosity TiO2-embedded mesoporous silica (TiO2/SBA-S) reduced cutaneous avobenzone absorption from 0.76 to 0.50 nmol/mg while providing effective pollutant adsorbability, UVA protection, and a two- to three-fold reduction in photoaged skin cytokines/chemokines compared to the non-treatment control.
European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2023Topical application of 1,3-propanediol at various concentrations, alone or combined with butylene glycol and/or glycerol, increased skin hydration and reduced trans epidermal water loss in 30 healthy female subjects over an 8-hour period, with the 15% concentration and the addition of glycerol providing greater benefits.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024A 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, 2017The application of a sunscreen formulation containing ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, ethylhexyl salicylate, methyl anthranilate, and octocrylene does not significantly affect critical acne-related species such as Cutibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis, refuting the induction of facial dysbiosis in men.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2024Encapsulation 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, 2024Chemical 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, 2025Homosalate 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, 2026Simulated real-life dermal sunscreen exposure in twenty human volunteers leads to the systemic bioavailability and urinary excretion of the UV filter 2-ethylhexyl salicylate and its metabolite, reaching concentration peaks at 7 to 8 hours with 70-80% of overall excretion within 24 hours.
Archives of Toxicology, 2019Controlled single dermal exposure to an EHS-containing sunscreen in three volunteers resulted in delayed systemic resorption with elimination half-lives between 6.6 and 9.7 hours, where the parent compound EHS occurred as the dominant urinary parameter.
Archives of Toxicology, 2024Dermal exposure to EHS-containing sunscreen leads to the urinary excretion of EHS as the main biomarker alongside major metabolites 5OH-EHS, 5cx-EPS, 4OH-EHS, and 5oxo-EHS, measured using an extended enzymatic hydrolysis and on-line SPE LC-MS/MS method.
Talanta, 2024Incorporating rosmarinic acid into sunscreens enhanced the in vivo SPF of octocrylene by over 157% and reduced lipid peroxidation in the human stratum corneum.
Antioxidants, 2025Early application of sunscreen after ablative fractional skin resurfacing significantly increased the sensitization rate of the UV-filter, octocrylene, and the sunscreen compared to intact skin.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2015Dermal sunscreen exposure in 20 healthy volunteers led to plasma concentrations of avobenzone, octocrylene, and its metabolite CDAA reaching up to 11 μg/L, 25 μg/L, and 1352 μg/L, respectively.
Environment International, 2019
Ingredients
Avobenzone, Homosalate, Octisalate, Octocrylene, Water, Glycerin, C15-19 Alkane, Propanediol, C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer, Tocopherol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sclerotium Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Octenylsuccinate Starch, Glyceryl Stearate, Jojoba Esters, Helianthus Annuus Wax Seed Sunflower Wax Seed, Hydroxypropyl Phosphate Starch, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Carbomer, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 20, Polyglycerin-3, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
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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