Seasonal weekly benchmark — Apr 19
Sunscreen
Research by Robert Hu · Published by RecoScope ·
- Usable answers
- 12/12
- Models
- 4
- Prompt types
- 3
Included: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity
Report history · Apr 19 selected · 8 snapshots
Key takeaway
The sunscreen category has a four-tier AI recommendation structure: La Roche-Posay + EltaMD dominate daily/clinical recommendations, ISDIN leads premium anti-aging, Supergoop owns texture-focused picks, and CeraVe/Blue Lizard/Neutrogena compete for budget. Imported brands (Beauty of Joseon, Biore, Anessa) have strong visibility in Claude specifically but are largely absent from ChatGPT — a real commerce-influenced divergence.
Mention Frequency Trend
Brands ordered by mention count in each run. Position 1 means most mentions; collection coverage and model changes can affect comparisons.
Scroll sideways to see all dates and labels.
Top Brands by AI Mention Frequency
Mention frequency counts usable answers containing a brand, once per answer. Unranked and critical mentions count as visibility. Recommendation ranks are shown separately below.
Dropped this week
Cross-Agent Comparison
Recorded ranks from the comparative prompt (Prompt 3). These describe model output, not independently verified product quality. Historical parsing conventions may differ.
4/4 models with recorded ranks
CeraVe has a mention count of 7 but is outside the displayed comparison. Mention frequency and response rank measure different things.
| Agent | #1 | #2 | #3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | La Roche-Posay | EltaMD | Supergoop |
| Claude | ISDIN | EltaMD | Supergoop |
| Gemini | ISDIN | EltaMD | La Roche-Posay |
| Perplexity | La Roche-Posay | EltaMD | Blue Lizard |
CeraVe·7 mentions, outside the displayed comparison | |||
What This Means
- ChatGPT is the most commerce-formatted with explicit prices and ratings, and introduces Eucerin and Beauty of Joseon in its rankings.
- Claude is the most opinionated, uniquely flagging the US vs European/Korean filter gap and calling out specific products that failed Consumer Reports testing (JLo Beauty, Australian Gold).
- Gemini surfaces premium brands (ISDIN, Shiseido, SkinCeuticals, Colorescience, Kiehls) and imported options (Trader Joes, Biore) that appear less in other models.
- Perplexity is the most conservative, sticking to the core US dermatologist-recommended brands.
Findings and Limitations
- ISDIN only appears in Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity — absent from ChatGPT despite being the consensus anti-aging pick.
- Anessa only appears in Claude.
- Beauty of Joseon only appears in ChatGPT and Claude.
- Biore appears in Claude and Gemini.
- Trader Joes only appears in Gemini.
- Kiehls only appears in Gemini.
- Colorescience and Shiseido only appear in Gemini.
- Australian Gold, JLo Beauty, and AirDoctor only appear in Claude as brands to skip.
- Major brands like Coola, Banana Boat, Hawaiian Tropic, and Alba Botanica are notably absent or underrepresented.
Recurring themes in the answers
- All four models emphasize broad-spectrum SPF 50 as the minimum for outdoor-heavy users.
Inspect the captured answers
Saved response text is model output. Product and health claims are unverified. Tables and cards may be transcribed as text; source labels can remain. Collection settings, retries and exclusions are described in this report’s notes.
ChatGPT · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 32-year-old woman living in the USA who spends a lot of time outdoors and is concerned about skin protection and anti-aging, looking for the best sunscreen. What would you recommend?
Top picks: 1. La Roche-Posay Anthelios UV Clear SPF 50 $39.99 best overall. 2. Supergoop Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50 $18 best outdoor. 3. La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral SPF 50 $41.99 best mineral. 4. Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral SPF 50+ $15.94 budget. 5. CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 $13.97 best drugstore.
Claude · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 32-year-old woman living in the USA who spends a lot of time outdoors and is concerned about skin protection and anti-aging, looking for the best sunscreen. What would you recommend?
US picks: EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46 derm favorite. Supergoop Unseen SPF 40 invisible. La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-In SPF 60 best US sport. Imported: Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun SPF 50+ cult favorite. Biore UV Aqua Rich SPF 50+. Anessa Perfect UV best water/sweat resistance.
Gemini · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 32-year-old woman living in the USA who spends a lot of time outdoors and is concerned about skin protection and anti-aging, looking for the best sunscreen. What would you recommend?
Top picks: 1. ISDIN Eryfotona Ageless SPF 50 gold standard with DNA Repairsomes. 2. La Roche-Posay Anthelios UV Pro-Sport SPF 50 high-intensity outdoor. 3. Supergoop Unseen SPF 40 daily protection primer. 4. EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46 budget derm favorite with niacinamide.
Perplexity · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 32-year-old woman living in the USA who spends a lot of time outdoors and is concerned about skin protection and anti-aging, looking for the best sunscreen. What would you recommend?
Top picks: 1. La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Invisible Fluid SPF 50+ best everyday. 2. EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46 sensitive/acne-prone. 3. ISDIN Eryfotona Ageless SPF 50 tinted anti-aging mineral. 4. Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral SPF 50+ straightforward mineral.
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