Mexoplex, Mexoryl and Tinosorb S are marketing names for ingredients found in Anthelios sunscreens made by La Roche-Posay. However, as I discovered from my dermatologist, not all Anthelios products contain Mexoplex, Mexoryl and Tinosorb S, making particular Anthelios products better than others. It gets very confusing, especially when considering there are different products in the USA versus those found internationally.
TL/DR: I use Anthelios Dermo-Pediatrics SPF 50+ Lotion (PPD 38) which I purchase from Life&Looks here.
All Anthelios products have some common sunscreen ingredients that do a great job blocking UVB rays, which are the rays that cause burning of the skin and redness. However, most sunscreens don’t do a good job of blocking UVA rays for long periods of time, known as photostability, which is why most sunscreens advise to reapply frequently. UVA rays don’t burn the skin like UVB rays, but instead penetrate more deeply into the skin causing unseen damage. You can read more in depth information about UVA rays here.
So, while most sunscreen products, including Anthelios, do a good job of preventing burning of the skin (redness) by blocking UVB rays over long periods of time, most products marked as broad spectrum UVA and UVB sunscreens see a significant drop off in effectiveness at blocking UVA rays past the one hour mark.  Fortunately, the key ingredients Mexoryl SX, Mexoryl XL and Tinosorb S (all three known collectively as Mexoplex) found in a few specific Anthelios products have excellent photostability which effectively blocks both UVA and UVB rays well past the one hour mark. More information about the effectiveness of Mexoryl SX and Mexoryl XL at blocking UVA/UVB rays over extended periods of time can be found here and for Tinosorb S here.
A note about SPF and PPD ratings
The Sun Protection Factor (SPF) rating seen on most sunscreens is used to calculate the theoretical length of time one can stay in the sun before being burned by UVB rays. This length of time is found by multiplying the SPF number by the length of time it takes a person to suffer a burn without sunscreen. The consensus is that anything greater than an SPF rating of 50 is not realistic and misleading. In addition, the SPF rating does not accurately help calculate the effectiveness or length of time the sunscreen blocks UVA rays. Unfortunately, in USA there is no rating system like SPF for UVA rays and the language found on most sunscreens such as “Broad Spectrum UVA/UVB Protection” or “Full Spectrum Sunscreen” does not indicate that the UVA protection is significantly reduced after about an hour of sun exposure.
Fortunately, European products also state the Persistent Pigment Darkening (PPD) rating.  Theoretically this is the multiplication factor the sunscreen provides based on your skin’s natural protect against UVA rays. So a PPD rating of 38 would theoretically allow a person 38 times as much UVA exposure before causing damage.
The bottom line here is to look for sunscreens with a high SPF and PPD ratings, particularly Anthelios products that contain all three of following key ingredients (collectively known as Mexoplex):
Drometrizole trisiloxane (also known as Mexoryl XL)
terephthalylidene dicamphor sulfonic acid (also known as ecamsule or Mexoryl SX)
bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine (also known as Bemotrizinol, Tinosorb S or Escalol S)
Internationally, there are a wide range of Anthelios products available with many containing all three of the key ingredients above. Just be sure to check the ingredients list.
Only one of the Anthelios products available in USA contains Mexoryl.  And unfortunately this product, Anthelios SX, only contains one of the three key ingredients: Mexoryl SX (terephthalylidene dicamphor sulfonic acid also known as ecamsule). The reason products available in the United States contain just one key ingredient is that there are only seventeen ingredients available for US sunscreen makers to use as described here and the only new ingredient on that list approved by the FDA since 1972 is Mexoryl SX. As you can imagine there have been significant advancements in sunscreen science and ingredients since 1972. Fortunately many of these ingredients are available in sunscreens sold in Europe and other countries so I recommend finding Anthelios products internationally that contain all three key ingredients.
Here’s a link to a comparison chart to check some of the different Anthelios products’ ingredients:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1O8uIZks3JWQi3w2-8yQLv2-QP_rFtuin5aPXPJeInDg/
It’s difficult to find merchants in the USA selling the above referenced products and you will most likely need to order from an international seller. My only bad experience with an international merchant thus far was OmorfiaShop. DO NOT BUY FROM OMORFIA SHOP, they sell counterfeit and/or outdated products.  If you find other reputable merchants, please post them in the comments at the end of this post.  Here’s the sources I’ve found:
Anthelios Dermo-Pediatrics SPF 50+ Lotion (PPD 38). I last purchased this on November 2, 2020 from Life&Looks here and had a good experience. Life&Looks is a Northern Ireland based merchant with a BizRate Rating of Good: 8.9/10 based on 1,924 customers ratings since 2011. The last I checked (November 13, 2020) Life&Looks had the Anthelios Dermo-Pediatrics SPF 50+ Lotion in stock here. If you find a reputable source, please post it in the comments below.
Products I’ve ordered in the past but no longer use are:
Anthelios SPF 30 Comfort Lotion, Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Comfort Lotion.
I’ve purchased these (3/21/2016) from Life&Looks and had a good experience. However, La Roche Posey looks to have discontinued these two “Comfort Lotion” products and the current 30 and 50 lotions in the 250ml size do not have all three key ingredients. Previous products purchased were Anthelios Comfort Cream SPF 30 here and Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Cream Comfort here. If you find a reputable source, please post it in the comments below.
Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Fluid Ultra Light (SPF 50+, PPD 42 only available in 50ml bottles).
I’ve purchased this (3/21/2016) from Life&Looks. If you find a reputable source, please post it in the comments below. If you want the highest protection available (as of October 8, 2017) this is it. However, I found it very difficult to get this lotion to absorb into the skin and it is only available in 50ml bottles whereas the Dermo-Pediatrics product comes in a larger 250ml size option which works out to be a much better value and it absorbs much more easily into the skin. Further, if a fair skinned person not wearing any sun protection would typically burn from UVB rays and start being damaged by UVA rays after 10 minutes of direct, midday sun exposure, the Dermo-Pediatrics SPF 50+ Smooth Lotion which has a SPF of 50+ and a PPD of 38 would theoretically offer 8+ hours of UVB protection and over 6 hours of UVA protection whereas the 50+ Fluid Ultra Light would theoretically offer 8+ hours of UVB protection and 7 hours of UVA protection (less than a one hour difference of UVA exposure). For these reasons I found the referenced products above to be a good balance between protection, ease of use and cost.
Anthelios SX Daily Moisturizer ($25.19 for one 1.7oz tube.)
It has Mexoryl SX which is good but did not have the other key ingredients, once I found the SPF 30 Comfort Lotion I switched to it for daily use since it has all the key ingredients and also comes in 300ml (10oz) tubes which is a much better value.)
Anthelios XL 50+ SPF Fluide Extreme ($32.55 for two 50ml tubes including shipping. )
Water resistant, lighter cream for when I’m not going in the water, but it only contained Mexoryl XL and SX which is only 2 of the 3 key ingredients, so I switched to Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Comfort Lotion which has all three key ingredients and is a better value in 300ml tubes.) Â This product has since changed names to Anthelios XL SPF 50 Fluid Ultra Light and added the third key ingredient.
Anthelios XL 50+ SPF Fluide Extreme Body ($38.88 for two 125ml bottles including shipping. )
This was a better value than the 50ml tubes of  Anthelios XL 50+ SPF Fluide Extreme but it only contained Mexoryl XL and SX which is only 2 of the 3 key ingredients, so I switched to Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Comfort Lotion which has all three key ingredients and is an even better value in 300ml tubes.)
Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Melt-In Cream ($32.81 for two 50ml tubes, including shipping.)
I used this when swimming since it has a very high water resistance but it only contained Mexoryl XL and SX which is only 2 of the 3 key ingredients, so I switched to Anthelios Dermo-Pediatrics SPF 50+ Smooth Lotion which has all three key ingredients and is an even better value in 300ml tubes.)
Anthelios 40 Suncreen Cream UVA Protection with Mexoryl SX ($30.64 for one 1.7oz tube.)
I used this when I was going to be outdoors in the sun for a long time and before I found out about the international versions of Anthelios. Â This is the best USA version of Anthelios, but it only contains Mexoryl SX which is only 1 of the three key ingredients, so I switched to Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Comfort Lotion which has all three key ingredients and is an even better value in 300ml tubes.)
Sunscreen Resources:
Skinacea put together this great chart of sunscreen ingredients including the ingredients in Mexoplex:
http://www.ewg.org/2015sunscreen/report/does-europe-have-better-sunscreens/
Good article about why there are better sunscreens in Europe.
Video about Mexoplex:
From La Roche-Posay Anthelios.com website:
The first sun filter approved by the FDA in 18 years.1 A breakthrough technology in sun protection.
What is MEXORYL™ SX?
MEXORYL™ SX is the most effective FDA-approved organic filter designed to protect against short UVA rays (maximum absorption at 344nm) with high photostability, a key factor in sunscreen protection efficacy. This high photostability means the sunscreen will maintain a higher UVA protective ability longer and not degrade as quickly as other FDA approved UVA filters when exposed to the sun.
What is photostability?
Photostability means the ability to stabilize under sunlight. The process of photostability is a key factor in sunscreen protection efficacy. High photostability means the sunscreen will maintain a higher UVA protective barrier.
Why is MEXORYL™ SX unique?
When UVA and UVB inorganic protective filters were first introduced using cosmetically acceptable concentrations, they provided minimal protection against UVA rays. Though the UVA ray filter molecule Avobenzone (Parsol 1789) was approved for drug store and apothecary use in 1992, it was discovered that when used by itself, Avobenzone (Parsol 1789) degrades when exposed to the sun, thereby reducing its UVA protection efficacy.
MEXORYL™ SX, now available in the US, is photostable on its own and is the most effective FDA-approved organic filter designed to protect against short UVA rays. Formulations containing MEXORYL™ SX and L’Oreal’s patented photostable association of Octocrylene and Avobenzone provide complete broad spectrum UV protection, with a high level of protection across the UVA spectrum – particularly short UVA rays in the range of UVA 320-340nm.
How does MEXORYL™ SX work?
MEXORYL™ SX protects the skin by absorbing the energy of the sun’s short UVA rays. MEXORYL™ SX acts as a normal filter, but becomes highly energized by absorbing the energy of a UV photon. MEXORYL™ SX protects against UVA photons penetrating your skin, deactivates and releases the absorbed energy to the environment as harmless energy, then repeats the process over and over.
52 comments
Thanks so much for this article- I am so grateful to have this knowledge while protecting for myself, and even more importantly my children!
I ordered from skincare lab.com . Do you know if this is a reputable seller? The products seem legit- wanted to get your opinion before I rely on these and/or place any more orders. Thanks!
http://store.skincarelab.com/laroanspf60c.html
Also, have you ever used Phamix.com?
https://phamix.com/product/anthelios-dermo-pediatrics-smooth-lotion-spf-50/
https://phamix.com/product/anthelios-xl-spf-50-ultra-cream/
This product appears to have all 3 ingredients- have you tried this one?
http://www.laroche-posay.com/products-treatments/Anthelios/Anthelios-XL-Non-perfumed-dry-touch-gel-cream-SPF50-p24078.aspx
Hi Hayley, thank for your kind words and comments. I have not ordered from Skin Care Lab or Phamix. How was your experience with them? I have not tried the touch gel cream product you mentioned though I checked and it does have the three key ingredients.
Hi John,
I have noticed that you can no longer purchase the Dermo Pediatrics SPF 50 smooth lotion from Life and Looks. Is there another one you are using currently?
Thanks for the comment Leigh. It looks like it was out of stock for awhile but back in stock now here.
Thank you so much, this is a fabulous resource. I’ve been trying to find all this information around the web, and here you have it in one spot AND keep it updated! Let me know if I can help/support your work in any way.
It’s so disappointing that we have to order European sunscreens to get the best protection, but at least we can get them. I’m a scuba diver with very sensitive skin so this is an important issue in my life.
Hi Sue, thanks for your kind words and offer. Replying to others comments if you have more information or answers would be a great help and if you have any additions/edits/corrections to the post, I’d love your help in keeping it updated. Thanks!
I am a little confused why someone posted they burned from using the Ultra light fluid, which seems to offer the highest ppd. I was thinking of buying that but it seems that smooth lotion or other versions are being liked better.
I am VERY prone to tanning and want to avoid that.. so which product would you recommend for me? I don’t really burn as I have darker skin.
The product descriptions on the UK version of La Roche Posay’s website are different from the international one. The UK product descriptions claim protection against infrared radiation. What are your thoughts on this? Are there ingredients in the international version that offer infrared protection but can’t be openly claimed as such for some weird reason? https://www.laroche-posay.co.uk/anthelios-ultra-comfort-cream-spf-50
Thanks for the question. Both the UK and International version contain the three key ingredients Drometrizole trisiloxane, terephthalylidene dicamphor sulfonic acid and bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine. The only differences in active sunscreen ingredients that I can see is that the international version contains TITANIUM DIOXIDE (a UVA and UVB sunscreen) and the UK version contains Ethylhexyl Salicylate (a UVB sunscreen). While both of these ingredients do contribute to the effectiveness of the sunscreen, having one versus the other will probably not make a significant difference in effectiveness.
The reference to “infrared protection” is ambiguous since according to this 2016 study “there is not compelling evidence to demonstrate that observable, deleterious cutaneous effects are occurring at doses of solar IR radiation corresponding to those experienced by populations in their normal environments and for this reason we believe it is premature to incorporate IR protection into topical sunscreens and to make claims related to ageing of the skin that consumers may expect to see.” Another earlierstudy from 2010 said there is potential for damage from infrared radiation but called for more research to be done. Titanium Dioxide may block some infrared radiation in addition to UVA and UVB rays. However, since there is not a lot of evidence linking the typical person’s exposure to infrared radiation and skin cancer, damage or ageing, it is more important to focus on the effectiveness of sunscreens to protect against UVA and UVB rays. Also, it is important to be able to sustain that protection over a period of time since UVA and UVB ray exposure for a typical person is definitively linked by research to skin cancer, damage and premature ageing.
Hi John, great article! Quick question…what is the difference between the Anthelios Comfort Lotion/Cream and the Anthelios Smooth Lotion? I’m about to order from Life&Looks but they are all out of the Smooth Lotion and I’m wondering if the Comfort Lotion/Cream is the same, or different with potential trade-offs? Thank you!
Hi Michael. Thanks for the kind words. I just saw your comment today and apologize the delayed reply. Unfortunately, it looks like La Roche-Posay is going through yet another product and packaging change so we’ll have to wait and see. I’ve done some recent comparisons in the spreadsheet found here. From what I can tell, the 300ml size of the Anthelios XL SPF 50+ and Anthelios SPF 30 Comfort Lotions are discontinued. Unfortunately, the (Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Smooth Lotion and Anthelios SPF 30 Smooth Lotion now available in 100ml and 250ml sizes are missing two (Bemotrizinol aka Tinosorb S/Escalol S and Mexoryl XL) of the three key ingredients. If you look at the spreadsheet though, both the Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Cream Comfort and Anthelios SPF 30 Cream Comfort products both contain all three key ingredients. However, they are only available in the 50ml size.
Have you researched other brands or chemical ingredients? Like Tinosorb M? Also, do you know what the PPD value is of the Anthelios SX SPF 15 (the one that’s available in the US)? I’m using the SPF50+ Comfort Lotion right now but it’d be nice not to have to order sunscreen from abroad.
I went to Saint Barth last month and used an entire bottle of the Anthelios XL 50+ lotion. I had never used a non-US sunscreen before and was amazed by how much I liked this particular product. After doing research and finding your very helpful and informative blog page, I now understand why I liked it so much. Thank you for your very clear and thoughtful explanation of what makes a good sunscreen.
For what it is worth, I have since purchased two bottles here: https://www.notino.com/la-roche-posay/anthelios-xl-protecting-milk-for-sensitive-skin/
Shipping was quick (less than a week), and the product is authentic.
Thanks Mike. So glad you found a good sunscreen and seller.
Hi John,
Great post, thank you so much! Luckily for me I’m in Europe so am trying to wrap my mind around all these screens. Its so hard for a lady to find a screen that is both effective against UVA and cosmetically elegant. I loath the feel of sticky skin but can also suffer from dryness with the wrong product. I am currently using Bioderma Photoderm SPOT sunscreen but have just ordered a lot of LRP screens to try having found this post.
What is your thought on this screen, its a new release and it seems to be the lightest of their formulations:
http://www.laroche-posay.com/products-treatments/Anthelios/Anthelios-SPF-50-Invisible-mist-ULTRA-LIGHT-p20771.aspx
I also wondered if you happen to know whether the Avobenzone in Anthelios and Bioderma screens is micro encapsulated so its safe to use with mineral makeup?
Sorry for all these comments John! It seems that the Smooth Lotion has been reformulated and is now called La Roche-Posay Anthelios Lotion SPF50+. That is why I’ve been having such a nightmare finding the original smooth lotion in England! I don’t know if the key ingredients are still in there. Apparently its been reformulated for suitability for even more sensitive skin so I hope they’ve not dropped one of the holy trinity ingredients and then plan to discontinue the original! 🙁
Could you kindly confirm that the formula still looks good?
http://www.escentual.com/larocheposay119/
Hi Kris, thank you for all the information. I checked and the Anthelios SPF 50 Invisible Mist Ultra Light is missing two of three key ingredients TEREPHTHALYLIDENE DICAMPHOR SULFONIC ACID and BIS-ETHYLHEXYLOXYPHENOL METHOXYPHENYL TRIAZINE. It has DROMETRIZOLE TRISILOXANE (Mexoryl XL) which is better than nothing though.
The Anthelios XL SPF 50 Smooth Lotion ( http://www.laroche-posay.com/products-treatments/Anthelios/Anthelios-XL-SPF-50-Smooth-Lotion-p20770.aspx) you mentioned still does have the three key ingredients and would be a good choice. That’s the one I use.
Also, here’s a chart I put together to compare the ingredients of the some of the Anthelios products:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1O8uIZks3JWQi3w2-8yQLv2-QP_rFtuin5aPXPJeInDg/
Hi, I bought 6 of the 50mL bottles of Anthelios XL 50+Fluid Ultra Light (to get best shipping cost) from Chemist Warehouse in Australia. It was the only source I could find that had all these ingredients. Other sources in US, Canada and France were missing Tinosorb and one of the Mexoryl compounds. http://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/ is the only place I found Anthelios XL with these three ingredients listed on the label and box:
Drometrizole Trisiloxane (Mexoryl XL)
Ecamsue (Mexoryl SX)
Bemotrizinol (Tinosorb S)
$24.95 AUD =$18.58 USD cost per 50mL bottle.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL Spray SPF 50+ 200ml is a better buy
I hear Pharmacymix.com now has these sunscreens back in stock, recommended by my Derm at Stanford in California, USA.
FDA hasn’t approved Tinosorb S in the US.
Hope this helps,
Richard
Thanks Richard for the additional source. I also realized the product links I had in my post we’re broken so I updated them. In addition here’s a link to all Anthelios products on Life&Looks. They sell the 50+ Fluid Ultra-Light for $15.33 USD whereas Chemist Warehouse has the same product for $35.00 USD. They don’t list the exact ingredients so I emailed Life&Looks to verify it is the same product and contains Tinosorb S. The spray you mentioned has a lower PPD rating of 32 versus 42 for the Fluid Ultra-Light which I think is why the fluid is more expensive and is only available in the 50ml bottles. The Fluid Ultra-Light has the highest protection rating of any Anthelios product, but it’s more difficult to use. This along with the higher price causes me to usually opt for the 30+ or 50+ Anthelios XL lotions mentioned in my post unless I am going to be out in intense sunlight for an extended period of time.
Hi John, thank you for this awesome article! I’ve been (obsessively) researching sunscreens for weeks. Living in the US, especially on the southern CA coast, I think there is an attempt to persuade (Americans) to use only mineral sunscreens, that do not contain any chemicals, and if the bottle reads the word “non” (non-nano, non-GMO, non-etc etc etc) at least 100 times, it must be safe. (?) I think there’s a push toward using what some might call “squeaky clean” sunscreens that only contain minerals (that occasionally have ZxO and/or Titanium with a percentage of 15% or greater) that also include heavenly sounding oils i.e. coconut, jojoba etc, and a suggestion that anything other than organic is unsafe. While I admit that I lean toward the mineral ones, because I like the idea of UV rays reflecting off of me, rather than being absorbed….I can’t help but be drawn to the La Roche Posay line. Simply put, they sound more balanced, offering various chemicals to protect from both UVA & UVB rays. Where as an American all organic product will often contain only 1 mineral at a high percentage and the remaining ingredients are things i.e. green tee, coconut oil, shea butter. I’m skeptical of these will keep my skin from pre-mature aging. I’m still so confused, for now I have my UPF clothes to “lean” on. Thanks again for the great article!
Thanks for the comment, Jamie. I completely agree there is a public push for the “organic is natural so it must be safer” logic. Unfortunately, I have not seen a clear example showing this to be proven. Most sunscreens will protect well for the first hour or so regardless if it is chemical, “natural” or organic. However, most people do not re-apply every hour which is where the danger lies. In my research I’ve found the proven benefits of chemical sunscreens, especially the La Roche Posay sunscreens, to far outweigh the hypothetical drawbacks. Please do let me know if you find evidence to the contrary.
I recently ordered Anthelios XL 50+ SPF Fluide Extreme and received the new, reformulated version Anthelios XL SPF 50 Fluid Ultra Light which is HORRIBLE. The fragrance is very strong, and on your face, you smell it all day. It also DOES NOT protect as the former product! I’ve used it this week and everyday my face is sore, burned and I have new brown spots. The former product protected my face for the entire day vacationing at the equator. I absolutely loved the old product and have used it for years. Now I need a new go-to maximum facial protection sunscreen if anyone can recommend one.
Hi Laurie, I too don’t like the Fluid Extreme and much prefer the Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Smooth Lotion in 300 ml tubes. I find it doesn’t have the drawbacks you mentioned and provides a good amount of protection (PPD of 34 vs 42 for Fluid Extreme). Similar to the Anthelios XL Smooth Lotion is the Anthelios Dermo-Pediatrics SPF 50+ Smooth Lotion with a PPD of 38 but I find it is a bit heavier and greasier than the Anthelios XL Smooth Lotion.
Hi, thank you for this great article. Im glad I came across this website. Very informative and well explained! I’m very new to understanding the difficult names of the ingredients.
Altough you explained very well, Im quite confused about the difference between the many products from the Anthelios line. Im mainly interested in an Anthelios product for the face with SPF50 and high PPD. However, the face products do not seem to have all three ingredients. It is quite confusing because American products are different from the ones available in Europe. But maybe its just the name.. It also seems you have more options than we do.
Which face Anthelios spf50 with high PPD has all three ingredients? Maybe you can help me out? That would be great!
These are the options we have here
http://www.laroche-posay.nl/verzorgingsproducten/Anthelios/Zongevoelige-huid-of-huid-die-allergisch-is-voor-de-zon-r762.aspx
Hi Nil, thanks for the kind words. You’re fortune you have all the European products available to you since many of these contain all the key ingredients. Most of the sunscreens shown at the link you provided have the three ingredients, Drometrizole trisiloxane, terephthalylidene dicamphor sulfonic acid and bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine. Click on a product and look for the “Ingrediënten” tab, you can scroll the ingredients to see if all three of the key ingredients are in the product. The only ones I see that are missing all three of the key ingredients are the Anthelios XL Voedende Olie SPF50+, Anthelios XL Stick Lippen SPF50+ and Anthelios XL Stick Gevoelige Zones SPF50+. The rest look to have all three key ingredients, just be sure and double check the ingredients list for the product you want.
Thank you so much for your very informative article. I ordered the Anthelios SPF 30 Smooth Lotion from Life and Looks in early 2015. It was out of stock so I was placed on a wait list for them to ship when available again. What they sent on 07/15 had a different name: Anthelios Comfort 30spf Lotion. Has this replaced the Anthelios spf30 Smooth Lotion? All three of your key ingredients are listed but I’m wondering if this formula is as effective as the Smooth Lotion you recommended?
Hi Julie, it appears La Roche-Posay changed the look of the product. Does the one you received look like this one?
Hi John, your link only goes to the La-Roche Posay main page.
I found your blog post trying to research whether La-Roche Posay changed the names of their products, because I read somewhere that the Anthelios XL 50+ SPF Fluide Extreme has changed names. I just went to La-Roche Posay’s french website and found this, which seems to be the renamed product? (correct me if I’m wrong): http://www.laroche-posay.fr/produits-soins/anthelios/anthelios-xl-fluide-ultra-leger-spf-50-p11695.aspx It contains the bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine so I’m guessing they changed their formulation to include it.
Here is a link to their other Anthelios products, too: http://www.laroche-posay.fr/produits-soins/anthelios/le-soleil-pour-tous-r93.aspx
Hi Katie, it looks like La Roche updated their links again and also, as you pointed out, changed the name and added the third key ingredient to their Anthelios XL 50+ SPF Fluide Extreme, now calling it Anthelios XL SPF 50 Fluid Ultra Light found at this link (on the English language version of La Roche-Posay’s website):
http://www.laroche-posay.com/products-treatments/Anthelios/Anthelios-XL-SPF-50-Fluid-ULTRA-LIGHT-p20781.aspx
Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I’ve updated the links in my article to this and the other products as well.
Hi John,
Just wanted to let you know I have placed several orders for various Anthelios Mexoplex products from Life&Looks.com over the last several months and can recommend ordering from this site. Prices are good and tax-free, products are fresh based on expiration dates, shipping rates to U.S. reasonable (and free if you spend over $50), and customer service via email is responsive. They frequently have 5% discount code promos and have one currently ending tomorrow. My first few orders took over 2 weeks to arrive to California which is OK with me given their shipping rates. For some reason my most recent order arrived in less than a week. And did I mention they often include a free sample with your order? 🙂
Leah
Thank Leah. I hope I have the same experience when I place an order with them.
So happy I cam across this!
Thanks for the info John, and for the warning about Omorfia.
I was just about to hit order on Pharmamundi.com, but did some more checking and found reports that they have issues and may ship fake product.
BBB, MerchantCircle and even their FB has bad reviews. Any insight?
Hi Karkus, Â I’ve had no problems ordering with Pharmamundi, but if you do please let me know. Their Amazon seller rating is 4.7 out of 5 based on 1232 reviews as of 6/25/2014. The owner claims it was a disgruntled worker leaving the negative reviews on merchant circle. If you find another reliable source, please let me know. Thanks.
Warning: Do NOT do business with Pharmamundi. I ordered sunscreen from them 9 months ago and they have not sent the product and refuse to credit my PayPal account. Others have indicated similar experiences on line. I wish I had done more research before I went to their website.–Eileen
Thanks for the information Eileen. It’s unfortunate that you’ve had trouble with Pharmamundi, I used them a few times and had a good experience. However, all I see now is a banner on their website indicating “New site coming in 2017”. In light of this and your experience, I am removing them from my post as a recommended vendor.
Hi John:
I’m trying to source Anthelios Dermo-Pediatrics SPF 50+ Smooth Lotion in 300 ml tubes for my family including 2 young kids.
Last year I was able to get it on Amazon for less than $30 a tube.
I can no longer find it on Amazon or Pharmamundi.
1. Any other ideas where I can buy (I live in NYC) at a reasonable price?
2. Can you suggest a substitute suitable for kids?
Thanks….
Hi Norbert, that’s unfortunate that Pharmamundi no longer offers it. I did find this listing on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/221382572504 from a pharamcy in Spain. The Dermo-Pediatrics SPF 50+ Smooth Lotion is still showing on the La Roche Posay international website, so I think it is still a currently made product. I’m emailing Pharmamundi now to see if they have any further insights. If you find another reliable vendor, please be sure to let me know. As far a as comparable product, Anthelios XL SPF 50 Smooth Lotion is good as well, but I generally use the Dermo-Pediatrics version if I’ll be out in the sun all day since it has a higher PPD. Both have the three key ingredients but don’t share all the same ingredients as you can see from this spreadsheet. I don’t know what the other ingredients do that changes the PPD number.
John, thanks for the info.
I saw the eBay listing. Aside from being much more expensive than last year from Pharmamundi (+ 35%), I’m a little leery of ordering from eBay for this sort of thing and a Spanish merchant doesn’t make me feel better about it. It could all be fine…I was just hoping you had other suppliers.
Please let me know what Pharmamundi says…
Thanks,
Norbert :+>
Thanks, I see it looks to be back in stock on Pharmamundi  It has been awhile since I ordered from Pharmamuni and I’ve had no problems ordering in the past, but if you do please let me know. There has been some negative feedback on Pharmamundi here and here but these seem to be isolated incidents. Their Amazon seller rating is 4.7 out of 5 based on 1232 reviews as of 6/25/2014. The owner claims it was a disgruntled worker leaving the negative reviews on merchant circle. If you find another reliable source, please let me know. Thanks.
I do believe Omorfia sells counterfeit products. I bought a sunscreen from them last year and it was not the same in the website. They insisted the product was from France with a new presentation and they would have to send back to France to test it, but I knew it was not the original. I have being buying this product for more than 20 years and I can recognize the smell, texture, color, and presentation. Usually, most of the products made oversees (France, London, Spain) have different packaging (paper/carton type, ink colors, hidden numbers: outside-inside the box), you can identify them right away. Counterfeits artist do not pay attention to those details.
Yes, I had the same experience with products sold by Omorfia. They were different than all the other La Roche Posay products I purchased in the past which were consistently the same.
Excellent write-up John, thank you. On the http://www.laroche-posay.com site, there are several Anthelios products which list Mexoplex under the “Properties” tab, such as this: http://www.laroche-posay.com/products-treatments/Anthelios/Anthelios-XL-SPF-50-Smooth-Lotion-p6318.aspx
However under the Ingredients tab, only one of the three key Mexoplex ingredients (bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine) is listed. Is it possible the site doesn’t list all the ingredients? Would you mind checking the ingredient list on your tube of Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Smooth Lotion? I just ordered it from the Pharmamundi site and now I’m hoping it will actually have all 3 key ingredients.
Thanks!
Oops, please disregard my question. I did not realize the “Ingredients Tab” was scrollable. All 3 key ingredients are listed.
Thanks for the update Leah, glad you found the info.
Hi John, thanks for writing up the article?
For these products:
http://pharmamundi.com/la-roche-posay-anthelios-lotion-for-children-300-ml.html
http://pharmamundi.com/la-roche-posay-anthelios-50-xl-lotion-300-ml.html
http://pharmamundi.com/skin-care/skin-sun-care/la-roche-posay-anthelios-spf-30-leche-100ml-health-and-beauty.html
Do any have Avobenzone? I’m really trying to avoid chemical filters. Is it only Mexoplex?
Hi Eric, yes they all contain Avobenzone (listed in the ingredients using the INCI name Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane)
I’ve tried natural sunscreens that don’t have any chemical filters but I find they don’t work very well, don’t absorb well plus they don’t contain Mexoplex and don’t have proof that they stay photostable against UVA rays.
Thanks for putting this together. I use Anthelios XL 50+ SPF Fluide Extreme when I’ll be out in the sun for long periods or when it’s really bright out. For everyday where I use Anthelios AC 30 SPF Fluide Extreme. It’s less whitening and more matte than the 50. It also has all 3 ingredients you mentioned above. PPD is 19 for AC 30 versus 38 for the XL+ 50.
Hi I bought the Anthelios 50+ Dermo Pediatrics sunscreen from Omorfia a few days ago. Can you tell me why theirs is a counterfeit product? Thank you.
I ordered two different products from them and they were different than what was pictured and described in the product description. Also, they did not match any product packaging on the La Roche Posay website or other products Anthelios products I know to be genuine. When contacted there was no explanation from Omorfia other than to send the item back to them for a refund.