3LAB Perfect Sunscreen Spf 50
69/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
3LAB Perfect Sunscreen SPF 50 is a chemical sunscreen built on an older-generation blend of Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Avobenzone and Octocrylene. It has a balanced, lightweight finish with low white cast and is low on pore-clogging concerns, though it may sting around the eyes. Protection is rated good and the overall score is 68.8, so it offers reliable coverage on a classic filter set that trails the more modern formulas in this group.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
61
- +12 Homosalate at #1, UV filter
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #2, UV filter
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #3, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +15.2 Octocrylene at #4, UV filter
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
46
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Homosalate at #1 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
42
- +100 Starting score
- −24 Avobenzone at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −15 Octocrylene at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Octisalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −1 Volatile alcohol at #15
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
56
- +100 Starting score
- −12 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 80)
- −32 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate)
👕
Fabric stains
High
25
- +100 Starting score
- −50 Avobenzone at #3, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #4, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 2 Volatile alcohol at #15
- ← 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 1 1 strong humectants (Panthenol)
- → 1 Humectant polyols
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 0.5 Volatile alcohol at #15
- ← 3 2 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Caprylyl Methicone, Dicaprylyl Carbonate)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 3 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 1 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Full ingredient list (36)
What each ingredient does and how it moves each rating: green helps, red hurts, ↑ / ↓ give the direction, and ← / → shift a slider toward its ends (finish, moisture, makeup base). Auto-derived from our scoring rules and the ingredient's position.
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Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 12 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 8 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 30 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 24 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 50 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene)
- ↑ 15.2 UV protection
- ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 15 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
5 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
15 Alcohol
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
17 Adenosine
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
18 Acai Extract
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
28 Panthenol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
35 Hydroxide K
pH adjuster
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
Does 3LAB Perfect Sunscreen SPF 50 leave a white cast?
No, white cast is rated low. It has a balanced, lightweight finish that suits daily use.
Is the 3LAB Perfect Sunscreen Spf 50 mineral or chemical?
It is chemical, built on an older-generation blend of Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Avobenzone and Octocrylene.
Is 3LAB Perfect Sunscreen SPF 50 good?
It is a reasonable option. The overall score is 68.8 with protection rated good, reliable coverage on a classic filter set that trails the more modern formulas.