Anessa Brightening UV Sunscreen Gel vs Daily Sun Serum SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen: which is safer?
Daily Sun Serum SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Shiseido
Anessa Brightening UV Sunscreen Gel
PFAS grade
Excellent 75/100
Overall grade
Good 63/100
Verdict
Buy
Hazard flags
⚑ 3
Material
gel sunscreen with water-resistant treatment
Confidence
35%
PossibleFormaldehyde releasers
PossibleFragrance allergens
Possible1,4-dioxane residue
Our pick
Derma E
Daily Sun Serum SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen
PFAS grade
Excellent 100/100
Overall grade
Excellent 92/100
Verdict
Buy
Hazard flags
⚑ 2
Material
Mineral sunscreen, zinc oxide base
Confidence
88%
Possible1,4-dioxane (non-intentional contaminant from surfactants/emulsifiers)
PossibleFragrance allergens (if fragrance is present)
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Formaldehyde releasers, Fragrance allergens and 1,4-dioxane residue on the Shiseido and not on the Derma E.
- We flag 1,4-dioxane (non-intentional contaminant from surfactants/emulsifiers) and Fragrance allergens (if fragrance is present) on the Derma E and not on the Shiseido.
- The Shiseido is gel sunscreen with water-resistant treatment where the Derma E is Mineral sunscreen, zinc oxide base, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 25 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Derma E is the one to buy.
- We are less certain about the Shiseido grade, at 35% confidence against 88%, because it discloses less.
Both products run through the same public rubric, which covers materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
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