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Kiehl's Since 1851 Better Screen UV Serum Sunscreen SPF 50+
Kiehl's Since 1851

Better Screen UV Serum Sunscreen SPF 50+

SPF 50+ Invisible No white cast — chemical/hybrid filters that straight-up disappear on skin. United States us-fda Formulation variant: us-fda. Region-specific reformulations are tracked as separate products.

Fragrance-free chemical serum with peptides; octocrylene + homosalate + avobenzone load drags health-safety, but base is otherwise lean and elegant.

◐ CHEM Chemical filters Chemical filters — Organic filters absorb UV. Cosmetically elegant, but filter choice matters. F F-FREE Fragrance-free Fragrance-free — No added fragrance — lower irritation risk if your skin's reactive. A A-FREE Alcohol-free Alcohol-free — No drying short-chain alcohols (denatured / SD alcohol).
Where to buy it
Ulta US In stock
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64.3
Composite
Composite score · independent
Ranks #1186 of 1558 in the current catalogue. Fragrance-free chemical serum with peptides; octocrylene + homosalate + avobenzone load drags health-safety, but base is otherwise lean and elegant.
Composite is a weighted blend: UV 25% · Modernity 10% · Sensitivity 15% · Environment 10% · Elegance 15% · Health 25%. That's the recipe.
01 The score breakdown
UV protection How hard it blocks UVA + UVB across the spectrum at the stated SPF/PA. 61
Filter modernity Dings legacy filters (octinoxate, oxybenzone); rewards photostable next-gen ones. 50
Sensitivity safety Risk for reactive skin — fragrance, alcohol, and known sensitisers. 65
Reef / env. safety Reef toxicity plus how biodegradable the UV filters and surfactants are. 100
Cosmetic elegance Spread, finish, white-cast, and how it actually feels on skin. 78
Health safety Endocrine concerns and systemic absorption signals across the whole formula. 50
03 The facts, at a glance
Protection
Filter type Mineral filters (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide) sit on skin and reflect UV. Chemical filters absorb UV. Hybrid runs both.
Chemical
Broad spectrum Covers both UVA and UVB. UVA drives aging and deeper damage; UVB gives you burns.
No
Formulation & feel
Texture How it feels going on — milk, gel, cream, spray, stick, essence, lotion, powder, or cushion.
Essence
Finish How it looks once dry: matte, natural, dewy, or glowy.
Natural
Tinted Adds sheer pigment (iron oxides) that masks the white cast common to mineral filters and gives a skin-tone finish.
No
Fragrance-free No synthetic perfume added. Not FDA-defined in the US; the EU requires 'Parfum' + the 26 named allergens on the label. 'Unscented' is different — it can hide masking fragrance. Botanical oils still scent.
Yes
Alcohol-free No drying short-chain alcohols (alcohol denat., SD alcohol, ethanol). Doesn't mean fatty alcohols like cetyl or stearyl — those are emollients.
Yes
Verdict Is it worth it?

Fragrance-free chemical serum built on avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, and octocrylene with peptides and tocopherol. The base is lean and cosmetically elegant, but the legacy US filter set limits how modern the photoprotection feels.

Pros
  • Fragrance-free, alcohol-free base
  • Palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and tetrapeptide-7 included
  • Tocopherol antioxidant
  • Lightweight serum texture with jojoba esters
  • Trisodium EDDS replaces conventional EDTA
Cons
  • Legacy US filters, no modern UVA-stable options
  • Combined octocrylene and homosalate raise absorption concerns
  • Avobenzone needs reliable photostabilization

Who it's for: US buyers who want a fragrance-free serum-texture SPF with peptides and do not need next-generation filters.

04 Full ingredient list (INCI) 26 ingredients
MODERN FILTER 0 LEGACY FILTER 1 MINERAL FILTER 0 ADDED FRAGRANCE 0 NATURAL FRAGRANCE 0 ALCOHOL 0 WATCH 0 ACTIVE 3
Avobenzone 3% Homosalate 7% Octisalate 5% Octocrylene Avobenzone — UVA filter, needs stabilisation. ·Water· Glycerin Humectant — the workhorse hydrator. ·C15-19 Alkane·Propanediol·C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer· Tocopherol Vitamin E — antioxidant. ·Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate·Butylene Glycol·Cetearyl Alcohol·Sclerotium Gum·Hydroxyacetophenone·Caprylyl Glycol·Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate·Glyceryl Stearate·Jojoba Esters·Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera·Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate·Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate·Carbomer·Sodium Lactate·Sodium Hydroxide·Polysorbate 20· Polyglycerin-3 Humectant — the workhorse hydrator. ·Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1·Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Source: brand-published INCI. Last verified 2026. Show in detail
01 Avobenzone 3% Homosalate 7% Octisalate 5% Octocrylene LEGACY FILTER Avobenzone — UVA filter, needs stabilisation.
02 Water Water
03 Glycerin ACTIVE Humectant — the workhorse hydrator.
04 C15-19 Alkane C15-19 Alkane
05 Propanediol Propanediol
06 C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer
07 Tocopherol ACTIVE Vitamin E — antioxidant.
08 Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
09 Butylene Glycol Butylene Glycol
10 Cetearyl Alcohol Cetearyl Alcohol
11 Sclerotium Gum Sclerotium Gum
12 Hydroxyacetophenone Hydroxyacetophenone
13 Caprylyl Glycol Caprylyl Glycol
14 Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate
15 Glyceryl Stearate Glyceryl Stearate
16 Jojoba Esters Jojoba Esters
17 Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera Sunflower Seed Wax
18 Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
19 Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
20 Carbomer Carbomer
21 Sodium Lactate Sodium Lactate
22 Sodium Hydroxide Sodium Hydroxide
23 Polysorbate 20 Polysorbate 20
24 Polyglycerin-3 ACTIVE Humectant — the workhorse hydrator.
25 Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
26 Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7