PRODUCT REVIEW
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Sunscreen SPF 70
SPF 70 with niacinamide added — the highest SPF in the Anthelios face line, for people who want sun protection and tone-evening in one step.
Key facts
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Sunscreen SPF 70 at a glance.
Avobenzone 3%, homosalate 13%, octisalate 5%, octocrylene 10% (SPF 70)
Key active
Lightweight, fluid lotion
Texture
Daily wear on normal to oily skin; anyone treating uneven tone
Best for
$33–40
Approximate price
Fragrance free
Fragrance
1.7 oz
Size
$37.99
Price
Sunscreen
Type
What is it?
Top things to know about La Roche-Posay Anthelios Sunscreen SPF 70
- La Roche-Posay Anthelios Sunscreen SPF 70 is a light, fragrance-free daily face sunscreen, about $33 to $40. This is the Anthelios UV Correct formula — worth naming, because the Anthelios line runs several near-identical names. It is a sunscreen with one extra active, not a moisturizer.
- It uses four chemical filters. Avobenzone at 3% covers UVA, the longer wavelengths that reach the lower layer of skin; homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene handle UVB. Chemical filters absorb ultraviolet light and release it as a little heat, so nothing is left on the surface to cast white. Niacinamide is added for tone.
A good daily sunscreen, and the niacinamide is the real reason to pick it, since sun drives most uneven tone and this treats both in one step. Do not pay for the number: SPF 50 blocks about 98% of UVB, and 70 adds almost nothing. Applying enough matters far more.
— Dr. Schwarz
Skin fit
Is it right for your skin?
Hyperpigmentation
Sun drives most uneven pigment, so sunscreen is the base of any pigment routine. Niacinamide slows the handover of pigment packets from the cells that make them to the cells at the surface — treating the problem and removing the cause in one step.
Melasma
Melasma reacts to visible light as well as ultraviolet, and a clear chemical sunscreen does nothing about it. Use this if you like the finish, but a tinted mineral sunscreen with iron oxides covers more of what drives melasma.
Oily Skin
A thin fluid with no mineral particles, so it dries flat with no cast on any skin tone. Let your moisturizer sink in first, because it pills over a wet layer.
Sun Damage
UVA reaches the collagen in the lower layer of skin and breaks it down, through cloud and window glass. Avobenzone does that job here. Using it daily changes the outcome; the number on the front does not.
Texture
What it feels like on skin.
Lotion
A thin fluid lotion that spreads far, absorbs quickly and leaves a slightly satin finish rather than matte. No mineral filters, so no cast at all, on any skin tone. It pills over some moisturizers, the most common complaint — give the layer underneath a few minutes. It can also migrate into the eyes and sting as you sweat; contact lens wearers report this most.
Alternatives
If this isn’t the right product for you
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Light Fluid Facial Sunscreen
An SPF 60 fluid from the same line that spreads like water, leaves no cast, and is water-resistant for 80 minutes.
EltaMD UV Clear
Also pairs sun protection with niacinamide, at 5%, in an oil-free base for acne-prone and rosacea-prone skin.
La Roche-Posay Toleriane UV Moisturizer
Chemical filters in a ceramide and niacinamide moisturizer, around $26. SPF 30 is a daily floor, not a high-sun product.
Ingredients · Interactive
What’s in it, and where each ingredient works.
Full ingredient list · 26 ingredients, in label order. Click one.
A small humectant. It moves into the outer layer of skin and holds water there.
Vitamin E, an antioxidant. Here it mainly keeps the oils in the product from going rancid.
A fatty alcohol that softens skin and thickens the product. Despite the name, it is not drying.
A light oil made from coconut oil and glycerin. It smooths and softens the surface.
How to use it
How to use it.
How to apply it
- How muchA quarter teaspoon for the face. Most people use a third of that, and an under-applied SPF 70 protects less than a properly applied SPF 30.
- WhereFace, ears, neck and hairline. Keep it off the lash line; it migrates into the eye.
- ReapplyEvery two hours outdoors, and after sweating or swimming.
What to expect
- What to expectNo visible change; sun protection is preventive. If it pills, the layer underneath was wet. Wait longer, do not use less.
Questions
Common questions.
Is La Roche-Posay Anthelios Sunscreen SPF 70 mineral or chemical?
Chemical.
Is La Roche-Posay Anthelios Sunscreen SPF 70 much better than an SPF 50?
No. The difference is small. Applying enough matters more.
Will La Roche-Posay Anthelios Sunscreen SPF 70 leave a white cast?
No, on any skin tone.
Does La Roche-Posay Anthelios Sunscreen SPF 70 contain oxybenzone?
No.
Is La Roche-Posay Anthelios Sunscreen SPF 70 fragrance-free?
Yes.
What SPF is La Roche-Posay Anthelios Sunscreen SPF 70?
SPF 70.
References
Sources.
- 1. Sunscreen FAQs (Skin Cancer / Sunscreen statistics) (https://www.aad.org/media/stats-sunscreen) — American Academy of Dermatology states SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB rays and that higher-number SPFs block only slightly more, with no sunscreen blocking 100% — supporting the claim that SPF above ~30-50 gives sharply diminishing returns. Link
- 2. The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer (https://academic.oup.com/bjd/article-abstract/147/1/20/6635091) — Randomized clinical/in-vitro study (Hakozaki et al., Br J Dermatol 2002) showing topical niacinamide significantly reduces facial hyperpigmentation by inhibiting melanosome transfer — backs the claim that niacinamide helps even out skin tone. Link
- 3. Niacinamide: A B vitamin that improves aging facial skin appearance (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16029679/) — Double-blind randomized trial (Bissett et al., Dermatol Surg 2005) showing 5% topical niacinamide significantly reduces hyperpigmented spots and red blotchiness — backs the claim that niacinamide calms redness and evens skin tone. Link
- 4. UV Radiation — The Skin Cancer Foundation (https://www.skincancer.org/risk-factors/uv-radiation/) — Skin Cancer Foundation states UV rays from the sun cause skin tanning (pigmentation), premature skin aging and wrinkles — backs the claim that sun exposure drives skin pigmentation and photoaging. Link