Neutrogena • Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer SPF 45 with Helioplex • Sunscreen

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deva518 on 11/19/2008 3:54:00 PM more reviews by deva518

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

I really wanted to like this product but it just didn't work out. At first I thought it was great- high spf, good moisturizer and shine free. Unlike other sunscreens it sunk into the skin fast and never balled up into those tiny white chunks.

A few days into using it I got a giant, painful under the skin pimple on my chin. The kind that is huge and red but will never come to a head. I rarely get those as my skin is naturally very clear. Another couple of days and I got another giant pimple on my forhead.

Stopped using the product for a few weeks and my skin eventually cleared up back to normal. I used the sunscreen for one weekend and by Tuesday I was sporting another giant pimple on my forhead.

I'm going to use the rest of tube as neck or hand sunscreen... Unfortunately I won't be repurchasing.

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*TOP REVIEWER* PopStar48 on 11/9/2008 12:11:00 AM more reviews by PopStar48

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

My skin has begun to get really dry from the cold. I remember using this moisturizer once before when I was younger and found this to be way too greasy, however, using again I don't find it that way. Its just moisturizing enough for my skin right now. Don't think I'd use it in the summer though. I really like that it has a high SPF and contains helioplex as well. Hasn't broken me out either.

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*TOP REVIEWER* sloro on 11/4/2008 4:05:00 PM more reviews by sloro

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Coarse   Eyes: Hazel    

I have been using this on and off for about a year. It's a stable Sunscreen and it is easy to apply the required 1/4 tsp. to face. It has a PPD = 12.75. I have recently started using an AHA during the day and needed something more than my usual spf 15 that I normally use in the Fall and on my indoor days. I am so glad I have rediscovered this. I don't get clogs or breakouts from this, which is a miracle in itself since most things tend to break me out. This is a great daily moisturizer.
Active Ingredients: Avobenzone (3%), Homosalate (12%), Octisalate (5%), Octocrylene (2.35%), Oxybenzone (6%)

Inactive Ingredients: Water, Dimethicone, Trisiloxane, Diethylhexyl 2,6-Naphthalate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG 100 Stearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Behenyl Alcohol, Styrene Acrylate Copolymer, Caprylyl Methicone, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Tocopherol, Allantoin, BHT, 1, 2 Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polymethylmethacrylate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pantothenic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Xanthan Gum, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Methylisothiazolinone

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QuixoticWeetzie on 11/1/2008 4:10:00 PM more reviews by QuixoticWeetzie

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I use this in the summer but only when i'm going to be out in the sun because I hate the sun screen smell. It works really well and I never burn. I'm even suprised that it's never caused me to break out which is a big plus. I would recommend this product for sure.

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*TOP REVIEWER* SaraLee2 on 10/18/2008 7:29:00 PM more reviews by SaraLee2

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I use this on my hands all day long, which have quite a bit of vitiligo and are very sensitive to the sun. This definitely keep them from burning, is very soft, and isn't too oily/greasy. While it soaks in really great on my hands, I can't use it on my oily face. I'm a total grease ball within an hour. I'll stick to emerginC's tinted 30+, or keys-soap solar rx for my face.

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LisMo9 on 9/13/2008 6:34:00 PM more reviews by LisMo9

Age: Unknown   Skin: Dry, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy   Eyes: Brown    

First of all, this is the best sunscreen I have found for my face because it is very very hydrating for my dry skin and I feel that 45 is good for everyday. And I have tried every brand from drugstore to department store, cheap to expensive and I will be sticking with this....Having said that I have to confess that the Helioplex and the Retin-A started a war on my face. So I am going to try the version without Helioplex and see how that works out. If I cut out the Retin-A though (which I do in the summer) then this is HG status.

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mztina on 8/26/2008 9:07:00 PM more reviews by mztina

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I'm pretty surprised about the negative reviews of this product...I found this to be the least greasiest out of all the moisturizers with sunscreen. Normally sunscreen makes me break out but this is the first one that hasn't so I will continue to repurchase...

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EternalKudra on 8/15/2008 5:52:00 PM more reviews by EternalKudra

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

My skin is dehydrated and a bit flaky from acne treatments but still prone to getting somewhat oily throughout the day, so I'm always searching for the elusive sunscreen that will be slightly moisturizing but still fairly matte. I picked this one up as a temporary replacement for my HG Shiseido 55 cream, and I must say I'm pretty impressed with it. I think calling it a moisturizer is a bit of a stretch, as it still feels more like a sunscreen than anything else and I don't think it would be enough for those in need of some heavy duty moisture. But it's moisturizing enough for me, without being greasy or slimy. It's not as matte as the Shiseido, and I get a bit shinier as the day goes on with this one, but it's a pretty nice, relatively matte finish. I'll still be buying the Shiseido when this one runs out, but it's definitely something I would buy again if I'm in need of something cheaper.

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hotwheels5515 on 8/1/2008 1:31:00 PM more reviews by hotwheels5515

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

It's a bit greasy...but I believe this is the only moisturizer (not sunscreen) with high SPF at drugstores. It's gentle enough for my sensitive skin and I'll continue using it.

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zkatieus on 7/30/2008 9:09:00 PM more reviews by zkatieus

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

This product is horrible. It will make you so greasy. When I started using it it broke me out and I stopped using it. My skin still has not gone back to normal and its been a long time since I stopped using it.

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spiffy406 on 7/29/2008 12:51:00 AM more reviews by spiffy406

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

Oily skin/acne prone people: This moisturizer will make your face look like an oil slick! I think my forehead was so shiny that I could actually see myself reflected off of it!

I bought this moisturizer because I loved the idea of having built in high SPF. Unfortunately, my problem skin just would not let me hold onto this moisturizer. To be fair, it did not make my skin break out, it kept it very moisturized and the product did have a nice consistency.

If only I weren't such an oily mess to begin with I would have continued using this moisturizer. Neutrogena, if you're reading this, add an oil absorption component and I will be sold!

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*TOP REVIEWER* joiseygirl27 on 7/26/2008 9:29:00 PM more reviews by joiseygirl27

Age: Unknown   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I live in an area where humidity is a myth. The air is extremely dry here. This product moisturizes my skin well. No flakes at the end of the day. I bought it because of the high spf. I love being able to combine steps by having a moisturizer with spf. I was using my regular moisturizer followed by Neutrogena Dry Touch sunscreen but the finish was too matte for my liking. I have really dry skin so I hate anything matte. I like the moist finish this product gives because it helps my makeup go on better & it makes my skin feel nice. So far my skin has not broken out, I will update if it does. I paid around $12 for this at Walmart. I recommend.

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electra_cd on 7/13/2008 11:47:00 AM more reviews by electra_cd

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I'd been using Lancome's moisturizers for years, unneccessarily suffering with a huge milia problem. InStyle's best beauty buys issue convinced me to switch up my skincare routine. This moisturizer is great for me. For about a week after I started using it, my skin was a little irritated. I decided to stick with it, because I had changed most of my skincare routine cold turkey, so I can't blame this moisturizer for sure. After the breaking-in period, my skin got much better. I'm completely milia free these days.
My full skincare routine (been doing this for 2 months now):
J&J's Purpose Cleanser
Lancome's Tonique Douceur (a holdover from my old routine)
this moisturizer
BeneFit Eyecon under my eyes (another holdover)
twice a week- St. Ives Blemish and Blackhead Control Apricot Scrub on my nose and forehead (Don't need it on my cheeks anymore, yay!)

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*TOP REVIEWER* getsinyoureyes on 7/8/2008 3:33:00 PM more reviews by getsinyoureyes

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

So far this has the best sun protection (with good UVA protection which is just as important as the UVB protection most sunscreens already have) for the best price I can find. I've been in the sun a lot lately and I'm concerned about the effect of the sun on my skin and since I believe in preventing sun damage rather than treating already damaged skin. For the couple weeks I've been using this I've like it, I haven't burned despite the hours I've spent in the sun and it has only caused a few cases of milia around my nose (which I was able to take care of by switching cleansers) thus the rating of 4 rather than a 5. Overall this is worth trying because it's not too expensive and it has good sun protection.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

mivums on 7/5/2008 8:35:00 PM more reviews by mivums

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

My own skin and other experiences with similar products: Asian with somewhat light skin with a tendency to get a bit oily and shiny as the day goes on. I have a bottle of Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture SPF 15 but wasn't impressed because I could see how amazingly oily-looking (moreso than if I hadn't put anything on all day) I was only ten minutes after application. I had also tried Neutrogena Dry Touch SPF 55 on my face but found it so inconvenient to work with that I had just given up on Neutrogena sunscreens for my face.


This was one of the moisturizers I came across while home for the Jul 4 holiday and I am so glad that I had. While I had pretty lukewarm experiences with two other Neutrogena products I really liked this one. It was both pleasant to apply (absorbed easily, no white cast) and my face hadn't gotten oily or shiny at all two hours afterwards. After that point I had put a little powder foundation (Shiseido SPF 34) on so I can't say for sure how long it would have looked matte on its own, but I was still looking good five hours later (washed everything off after that). That uncertainty is the only reason I gave it a 4 and not a 5.

If I hadn't just bought a bottle of Shiseido SPF 55 lotion I probably would have bought this instead. A 3.3 oz bottle of Shiseido cost $33 while this 1.7 oz bottle is listed as $13 online. (While googling for that price I actually found that Amazon actually sells a two-pack for 23.65) If the Shiseido doesn't turn out to be worth that $7-9 extra I will definitely give this another try.

Basically: Try this out before moving onto more expensive stuff

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haveaguinness on 7/4/2008 2:03:00 PM more reviews by haveaguinness

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

I was pleasantly surprised by this product. I find Neutrogena, as a line, to be very hit-or-miss, and I really disliked their SPF 30 hand cream, which I tried recently. I'm also not a big fan of the Neutrogena Sensitive and Dry Touch sunscreens. The NHD SPF 45 moisturizer is much better, in my opinion. It has a nice, smooth texture, a lightly moisturizing feel and only a very faint sunscreen fragrance, which doesn't bother me at all. No balling, flaking, or streaks. The only problem I had with it was that it wasn't water-resistant enough for me in humid summer weather. I wasn't sure I could depend on it to stay on my face, so I gave it away... but now I wish I had kept it for the fall! I think this would work very well for drier skin, or normal/combo/oily skin in cooler months. Overall, I think this is great: an excellent, stable, relatively high-PPD sunscreen/moisturizer, easy to find at any drugstore at a modest price (about $13 IIRC).

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digby2005 on 7/1/2008 6:33:00 PM more reviews by digby2005

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

I bought my 1st tube of this 2 weeks ago following a recommendation from my dermatologist. And while I have plenty in the 1st tube, I've already purchased 2 more so I have them EVERYWHERE ...bathroom, purse, etc.

I have had problems with stinging with Neutrogenia products before, as well as balling. No problems at all with the spf 45 with helioplex.

As I was considering Sheisedo spf 55, I feel like this is a bargain at the $11 or so it costs. Packaging is easy to dispense proper amount. And it gives me the perfect amount of moisture ( I feel like I usually have to pick moisture or high spf as this is the first that balances both effectively for me)

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revealing_beauty on 6/24/2008 7:25:00 PM more reviews by revealing_beauty

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I was so disappointed when Perricone reformulated its SPF 26 lotion that I thought it was going to take me months to find a replacement. Nope! When I saw that InStyle had recommended this moisturizer/sunscreen, I thought, what do I have to lose? I am a skincare snob no more! Instead of paying $45 for a tube (ahem, Perricone), this Neutrogena moisturizer/sunscreen is a little gem in a $12 tube. This is why I love this product:

1) It provides UVA/UVB protection - yes ladies, this is important for the health of your skin!
2) My skin is smooth and glowing when I apply it
3) It acts as a primer and my foundation lasts longer
4) No breakouts
5) It is inexpensive
6) Packaging is great (the tube allows you to control how much you want to dispense)

I love this product so much that I am ready to be the next Neutrogena spokeswoman!!! :)

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aizacity on 6/24/2008 3:00:00 AM more reviews by aizacity

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Overall Rating = 4
Price = 4
Packaging Quality = 5
Repurchase? Yes


Skin Info: I am Asian with fair/light skin, my face type is oily with large pores and lots of black/whiteheads, and is prone to break outs.


*I had run out of my beloved Olay moisturizer (the one with the SPF 30) which I had been using for years, so I was really bummed out when I didn't see it on the shelves at the Shoppers Drugmart near my house, I think they were out of stock. However, I saw this moisturizer a few products down from where my Olay would normally be and it was showcased as a New Item. The SPF 45 with Helioplex was what caught my attention. I have been in search for a day moisturizer with a high SPF and the helioplex was such a bonus for me, so I didn't waste any time purchasing this. I have only been using it for a few days, under my mineral makeup. No breakouts yet and I'm praying that it won't. The texture is thick, a lot thicker than the Olay I was previously using. I believe the Olay was more like a lotion whereas this one is more like a cream. It did not feel heavy after application, but it did take a while to for it to absorb into my skin. I thought this was going to make me even oilier, but it didn't. In fact, I really like the way my mineral makeup goes on creamy when I apply it on top of this. Had no pilling or "balling up" issues, no white cast, and no smell that really sticks out (there was a faint sunscreen smell when I stuck my nose up to the opening of the tube, but nothing that bothered me). What I really really like about this is the packaging! I find it very sleek and I like how it's a sqeeze tube, well, a flat tube. It's definitely ideal for travelling! The price is reasonable I guess. I could have given it 5 stars if it had absorbed faster into my skin, because let's face it, no one has time to do any sort of waiting in the morning when you're about to run late for work. Other than, I would definitely repurchase provided that it doesn't cause me to breakout. I will edit if it does.


July 06th, 2008 — Good news: It does not break me out. Bad news: It does not work well with my Laura Mercier Creme Silk liquid foundation. It works wonderfully with my Everyday Minerals foundation, but when I wore it under my liquid foundation, it was like putting plaster on a wall with canola oil on it. So I bought another bottle of Olay Complete Defense SPF 30 for days when I want to wear my liquid foundation. However, I will continue to use this under my mineral makeup.

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Addie0184 on 5/25/2008 1:17:00 AM more reviews by Addie0184

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I wish they had a 'maybe' for the 'would you buy this product again' question...
anyways, i like this product, its good for my skin.
one lippie for ALLL that spf!
one lippie for the 'just right' amount of moisture it gives me
one lippie for the slim packaging.

lose one lippie for that disgusting sunscreen smell when you first put it on (it fades away eventually though)
lose one lippie for the price (almost 20 dollars!)

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