The original, what makes it special, the shelf parts we use and how to get closer. Add or swap parts and the score updates.
The original · SkinMedica
$40 · 1.85 oz (55 ml)
A lightweight sunscreen pairing 7.5% octinoxate with 12% zinc oxide, plus niacinamide, green tea and hyaluronate.
Prices and listings checked Oct 28, 2026. Amazon prices change; the link shows today's price.
Step 2 · The build
EltaMD
Partial credit means the part only partly matches that standout.
No cheaper rebuild yet. The closest match we found costs more than Essential Defense Everyday Clear Broad Spectrum SPF 47 Sunscreen, so we show no savings.
The 100 points
We split Essential Defense Everyday Clear Broad Spectrum SPF 47 Sunscreen into 4 standout parts. Each bar shows what the build earns.
The broad-spectrum mineral filter.
UVB chemical filter for a clear finish.
Calming and barrier support.
Designed not to leave a white cast.
Optional
60 / 100. This build has a lower SPF than Essential Defense Everyday Clear Broad Spectrum SPF 47 Sunscreen, so its score can never pass 60 and we do not suggest add-ons.
Step 3 · Buy
One link per part. Each opens the retailer in a new tab.
Closest match
Running total ~$45
Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)Snapshot prices. Each link shows today's price.
One bottle instead of a build. Sorted by match score; scores use the same standouts as above.
EltaMD
No close match yet — we show the nearest formulas.
Why it is close. Pairs zinc and octinoxate with niacinamide in a very similar layout; mid price.
Neutrogena
Why it is close. A zinc-based lotion from a drugstore brand.
CeraVe
Why it is close. A mineral face sunscreen with ceramides.
Not an affiliate link.
EltaMD
Running total
Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)No gain nowEltaMD
Neutrogena
Running total
Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)No gain nowNeutrogena
CeraVe
Running total
View product (opens in new tab)Not an affiliate link.
No gain nowCeraVe
Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen use slowed visible skin aging in a randomized trial.
Hughes 2013 · Ann Intern MedZinc oxide and titanium dioxide filters are well characterized.
Schneider 2019 · Photodermatol Photoimmunol…Octinoxate (7.5%), Zinc Oxide (12.0%), Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Niacinamide, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glycerin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Polygonum Aviculare Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Hexyl Dimethicone, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Polyisobutene, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Ingredient list from a third-party listing, not confirmed on the brand site. Source
We split Essential Defense Everyday Clear Broad Spectrum SPF 47 Sunscreen into 4 standout parts worth 100 points in total. The build earns 60 of a possible 100. A full 100 needs every standout fully covered.
EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46 (untinted) by EltaMD is our closest single-product match at 60 out of 100 for ~$45 (1.7 oz). It shares Zinc oxide, Octinoxate (per formula), Niacinamide.
Essential Defense Everyday Clear Broad Spectrum SPF 47 Sunscreen costs $40 for 1.85 oz (55 ml). The closest dupe costs ~$45. Prices change, so check the seller page.
No. Dupes share the key actives but can differ in concentration, vehicle and supporting ingredients. Missing from this one: Green tea. See our methodology for how we score.
SkinBetter Science · spf
~$56.89our build, 2 partsOriginal ~$75, build ~$56.89.
CeraVe + EltaMD
Obagi · spf
$20.99our build, 1 partOriginal $59, build $20.99.
La Roche-Posay
Face Reality · spf
~$16.49our build, 1 partOriginal $36, build ~$16.49.
Cetaphil