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Heliocare 360° Gel Oil-Free SPF 50+ for dry skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

Heliocare 360° Gel Oil-Free SPF 50+

Low

  • LowDry Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • Low RiskSafety

A weak match for dry skin; the sunscreens alongside fit it better.

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 excellent UV protection due to sunscreen filters like bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine and diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate, which are beneficial for your skin. However, the lightweight, potentially mattifying formulation with silica may not provide sufficient emollient action for your dry skin.
  • While the product offers general hydration and soothing benefits, it lacks specialized ingredients to directly target your dry or flaky skin concerns.
  • The product is generally safe for your dry skin, but the inclusion of fragrance and alcohol carries a slight risk of irritation.

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

★4.8Overall rating based on 100+ reviews

Based on limited data, users with oily, combination, and acne-prone skin appreciate this sunscreen for its lightweight, non-greasy feel and effective shine control. It provides good sun protection and wears well under makeup without leaving a white cast. Some users have reported a strong floral scent, occasional flaking, or a drying sensation.

Highlights

  • Leaves no white cast Often Mentioned
    • “It does not leave a white cast to your face”
    • “doesn't leave any trace of a white cast”
    • “very pleasant to use no white cast”
    • “does not leave any yellow residue on your skin”
  • Lightweight, non-greasy Often Mentioned
    • “It is light, oil free so will no clog my pores”
    • “The texture is soft and smooth on the skin”
    • “It's not at all greasy, so is perfect if you have oily skin”
    • “sinks into the skin nicely”
  • Controls shine Sometimes Noted
    • “keeps me matte all day long”
    • “doesn't add shine”
    • “reducing shine caused by the humid climate”
    • “matte finish without clogging pores”
  • Wears well under makeup Sometimes Noted
    • “works great under makeup”
    • “sits well underneath my makeup”
    • “wore it under makeup numerous times and I cannot say that it has affected the application”
    • “can wear it under makeup and reapply all day”
  • Can feel drying Rarely Noted
    • “This is a new version of the gel cream but it is very dry”
    • “I need to put on moisturiser before using so I won't be buying it again”
    • “something that had gotten so dry, it was flaking off”
  • Prone to flaking Rarely Noted
    • “after around six hours it started to rub off... it was flaking off”
    • “onces dried down it can pill a bit”
    • “remarkably uncomfortable”
  • Strong floral scent Rarely Noted
    • “the oil-free version has a very strong floral scent”
    • “too intense for my personal taste”
    • “my main problem apart from the scent is that I really did not like how it feels”
  • Unexpected tint Rarely Noted
    • “the product isn't colorless... but brownish”
    • “this one I received has a little color”
    • “tint 02 is too orange for paler skin tones”

Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, beautyboxjo.com, facethefuture.co.uk, reddit.com, doctoranne.de, and more

Questions and answers

Why is Heliocare 360° Gel Oil-Free SPF 50+ a weak match for dry skin?

This product is a weak match because its lightweight, mattifying formula with silica may not provide enough softening action for your dry skin. It also lacks specialized ingredients to directly target dry or flaky concerns, and contains fragrance and alcohol which carry a slight risk of irritation. A sun protection product for dry skin needs rich moisturizing and hydrating ingredients to ensure adequate moisture retention and support the skin barrier.

Which ingredients make this sunscreen a poor fit for dry skin?

This sunscreen is a weak match for your dry skin because it contains silica, which can leave a mattifying finish rather than providing the rich moisture your skin needs. A product for dry skin needs rich moisturizing ingredients and hydrating agents to lock in moisture and keep the skin soft and smooth.

What does Fernblock do for dry skin?

Fernblock is not specifically designed to treat dry skin, as its main job is to protect against UV damage and sunburn. If you have dry skin, you will want a product that adds moisture and repairs the skin barrier while protecting it from the sun.

What does Caffeic Acid do for dry skin?

Caffeic acid helps reestablish skin physiology by decreasing dryness and enhancing skin barrier function. This ingredient can be delivered effectively using appropriate formulations to improve dermal retention.

Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2020Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening, 2017

Where does this sunscreen go in a skincare routine for dry skin?

This sunscreen goes on in the morning as the final step of your skincare routine after your moisturizer. Because this lightweight and mattifying formula may lack sufficient moisturizing power for dry skin, a sunscreen of this type needs rich, nourishing oils and butters to keep dry skin feeling soft and smooth.

Can I use this sunscreen with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this sunscreen in the morning after your moisturizer, when you use retinol at night. Because this sunscreen may not provide enough rich moisture for dry skin, a sunscreen of this type needs rich, soothing oils and hydrating ingredients to keep dry skin soft and comfortable.

How often should I use this sunscreen?

You can use this sunscreen every morning as the final step of your daytime routine to protect against UV rays. However, because its lightweight and mattifying formula may not provide enough rich moisture for dry skin, a sunscreen of this type needs added moisturizing ingredients and rich oils to keep dry skin feeling soft and comfortable.

Can this sunscreen clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?

This sunscreen is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry skin, though the lightweight formula may not provide enough rich moisture to keep your skin feeling soft. A product for dry skin needs extra nourishing oils and rich hydrators to prevent tightness and flaking.

Is this sunscreen fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum, linalool, and limonene). Oleyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.

What the research says

  • Topical or oral administration of Polypodium leucotomos extract prevents acute sunburn, psoralen-induced phototoxic reactions, and depletion of Langerhans cells in healthy human volunteers by increasing the UV dose required for immediate pigment darkening, minimal erythema dose, and minimal phototoxic dose.

    Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine, 1997

  • Topical application or oral administration of Polypodium leucotomos extract inhibited ultraviolet-induced reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, erythema, and skin photosensitization in guinea pig and human skin.

    Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine, 1996

  • Polypodium leucotomos fern extract inhibits UV-induced reactive oxygen species production, DNA damage, apoptosis, necrosis, and matrix remodeling, translating to long-term prevention of photoaging and photocarcinogenesis.

    Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences, 2010

  • Poloxamer 407 nanoparticulate gels of caffeic acid slowed drug diffusion eight-fold compared to an aqueous solution and demonstrated an antioxidant protective effect on human skin explants exposed to cigarette smoke.

    Nanomaterials, 2020

  • Microparticles containing caffeic acid produce a more homogeneous distribution in the stratum corneum and higher retention into hair follicles compared to free caffeic acid, enabling continuous drug release for folliculitis treatment.

    Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, 2019

  • Caffeic acid and ferulic acid inhibited UVA-induced cytotoxicity, oxidant formation, and MMP-1 activity and mRNA in human keratinocyte HaCaT cells while up-regulating antioxidant defense systems compared to irradiated cells without treatment.

    Photochemistry and Photobiology, 2012

  • Treatment with 14% ferulic acid and 12% l-ascorbic acid significantly reduced pigmentation and erythema while improving hydration and elasticity in 20 women with photoaged skin, with neither acid proving definitively more effective overall though ascorbic acid showed slightly greater skin lightening.

    Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

  • Combining fractional microneedle radiofrequency with a topical antioxidant serum significantly reduced wrinkle severity by 29.9% versus 18.0%, increased elasticity by 12.9% versus 2.3%, and improved aesthetic outcomes in 31 participants compared to radiofrequency and placebo.

    The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025

  • Pretreatment with a topical antioxidant mixture of vitamin C, ferulic acid, and phloretin attenuated ultraviolet-induced sunburn cell formation, thymine dimer formation, matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression, p53 protein expression, and the suppression of CD1a-expressing Langerhans cells in human skin compared to vehicle control.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008

  • Microfine titanium dioxide does not penetrate human skin when formulated in an oil-in-water emulsion with the pigment dispersed in the aqueous phase, compared to oily dispersions and liposomal encapsulation which allow deeper skin penetration.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2000

  • Replacing microsized titanium dioxide and zinc oxide with nanoparticles in sunscreens eliminates opaqueness and alters UV protection balance while inducing (photo)cyto- and genotoxicity and penetrating viable skin layers during long-term exposures.

    Nanotechnology, Science and Applications, 2011

  • Microfine zinc oxide and titanium dioxide do not penetrate the stratum corneum of porcine skin in vitro, indicating that their use in sunscreens does not pose a health risk from internal exposure.

    Toxicology in Vitro, 2006

Why other sunscreens fit dry skin better

Ingredients

Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Disodium Phenyl Dibenzimidazole Tetrasulfonate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, C13-15 Alkane, C14-22 Alcohols, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Arginine, Hexylene Glycol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Butylene Glycol Cocoate, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Trilaureth-4 Phosphate, Ceteareth-25, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Polypodium Leucotomos Leaf Extract, Ethylhexyl Ferulate, Ferulic Acid, Caffeic Acid, Physalis Angulata Extract, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Caprylyl Glycol, Melanin, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Oxothiazolidine, Phenylpropanol, Disodium Ethylene Dicocamide Peg-15 Disulfate, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Hydrolyzed Wheat Pvp Crosspolymer Protein, Ppg-15 Stearyl Ether Benzoate, Troxerutin, Glycerin, Silica, Propanediol, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium Edta, Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl, Phytosphingosine Hcl, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Panthenyl Triacetate, Butylene Glycol, Ethyl Linoleate, Oleyl Alcohol, Lecithin, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499, Parfum, Linalool, Limonene

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play